‘Break the chains’: Turkish protestors use League of Legends champ as symbol of resistance

Many protestors in Turkey are using posters showcasing League of Legends champion Sylas, who has become a symbol of resistance. His in-game quotes such as “break the chains” and imagery appear on signs as well as social media profile pictures of people joining hands. 

According to the BBC, more than 1,100 people, several journalists, and left-wing leaders were arrested and detained by the government of Turkey over the past several days, which has caused a mass movement in the country. The protests started after the arrest of the Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, an opposition leader, on formal charges of corruption. Some people have also shared their Sylas posters on X, showing their support for the movement in Turkey.

Sylas is one of the 170 champions in League, and he has a deep lore connection as a revolutionary, known for his ability to steal magic from others and his rebellion against Demacia’s oppressive rule against mages. He broke his Petricite chains in a dark prison cell after absorbing magic from Lux, a mage in Demacia. Sylas took down his captors, becoming a fugitive in the process. 

Currently, the Unshackled is rallying the oppressed mages to rise against their oppressors in League lore, declaring war on the kingdom. While waging war on Demacia for its oppressive treatment of mages, and Sylas has multiple voice lines which showcase his unwavering determination and will such as “Time to take what’s ours,” “rise up, brothers and sisters,” and “they can’t hang us all,” along with several other lines reportedly being used by protesters.

Apart from the protest, Turkish League players have also showcased their enthusiasm and support by choosing Sylas more frequently in their ranked and normal matches. In the current patch 15.6, Sylas’ pick rate has skyrocketed across all the ranks in Turkey. The champion has appeared already in 3,389 matches, according to Lolalytics. 

It’s yet another reminder how games can be bigger than just momentary distractions for some players—and how League can be more than toxic chatters and throwing teammates running it down mid.