Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across Turkey over the weekend to protest against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and demand democracy, marking the largest demonstrations against his rule in more than a decade. However, on social media, it was a single protester who stole the show — dressed as Pikachu.
The phenomenon began last Thursday when Turkish photographer Ismail Kocraoglu shared a video on X. The footage, shot early that morning in Antalya, showed protesters fleeing as police used water cannons and tear gas.
Turkish protestor in Pikachu costume
Among them, a demonstrator in a Pikachu costume was seen sprinting away in short, rapid steps. Kocraoglu later posted a still image of Pikachu standing amid protesters and police and more videos surfaced showing the costumed figure dancing with demonstrators chanting its name and posing for photos.
Social media users quickly reacted. “Pikachu running from the police!” one wrote. Another added, “Something you don’t see every day.” A critic of Erdogan posted an imagined exchange: “Erdogan: ‘I have an army.’ Protesters: ‘We have Pikachu.’” When the costumed protester reappeared the following night, the X account Visegrad 24 wrote: “Pikachu continues his new career as an anti-Erdogan protest leader in Turkey.”
By the weekend, Pikachu’s role as a political activist gained momentum as high-quality images spread online, appearing to show the character dodging water cannons while holding a Turkish flag, leaping over obstacles and leaving behind fellow costumed protesters dressed as Batman and Spider-Man.
However, 404 Media, which tracks digital misinformation, found that many of these images were AI-generated. One particularly viral image showed Pikachu being detained by police, prompting a user to comment: “They’re even arresting Pikachu! They’ve completely lost it!” In reality, the Turkish police let Pikachu remain free.
Despite the fabricated images, the original footage sparked a global trend. Over the weekend, Pikachu-costumed protesters appeared at pro-opposition rallies in Paris, Georgia and even Israel.
The protests in Turkey began more than a week ago following the arrest of opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu on charges of corruption and alleged ties to Kurdish militants. Imamoglu, the popular mayor of Istanbul, had been expected to run as the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate in the next presidential election.
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His arrest came just hours after Istanbul University revoked his 1990s academic degree over alleged “irregularities,” a move that could disqualify him from running, as Turkey’s constitution requires presidential candidates to hold a university degree. Last week, his detention was extended and he was removed from office.
Opponents of Erdogan see Imamoglu’s arrest — one of several cases launched against him in recent years — as a politically motivated attempt to sideline the president’s strongest rival. The evidence against him has not been officially disclosed and Turkish media reported that the case relies heavily on anonymous witnesses, a method previously used to prosecute opposition politicians.
Imamoglu and his supporters argue that the judiciary, now controlled by Erdogan’s allies, will inevitably convict him. Erdogan and his party deny any involvement, insisting that the courts are independent.
Despite a government ban on protests after Imamoglu’s arrest, demonstrations erupted across the country, leading to more than 2,000 arrests. The protests culminated over the weekend with a massive rally in Istanbul, drawing hundreds of thousands in a show of defiance against Erdogan.