More than 100 supporters of jailed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi rallied in Sydney on Saturday, calling for the release of thousands of political prisoners and voicing concerns about elections planned by the ruling junta.
The demonstration at Martin Place was part of a wave of Gen Z-led protests around the world inspired by the Japanese manga and anime One Piece. Suu Kyi’s son, Kim Aris, led the rally.
Similar protests were held in Melbourne, with another scheduled in Perth later in the day. Organisers said the movement has strong support across generations, but for younger Burmese, particularly Gen Z, the stakes are especially high.
“Especially with the military conscription,” one activist explained. Younger Burmese risk being drafted to fight for the regime against their own people. “It’s very unethical,” said Koko Aung, who added that the rally’s main goal was to demand the unconditional release of more than 22,000 political prisoners in Myanmar, including Suu Kyi and former president U Win Myint, both jailed after the 2021 coup.
He stressed that political prisoners are treated extremely poorly under the junta, making international solidarity vital.
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