It surely says something about the state of the world today that one of the web’s most anodyne and wholesome memes chose to come out of retirement this week to wade into the discussion surrounding one of the most contentious political conflicts in modern history.
By that I mean, Nyan Cat is back and he has a simple message: Free Palestine.
There was a time when the rainbow-emitting kitty with a Pop-Tart for a body was a ubiquitous part of internet culture. One of the web’s most popular memes, the original image can be attributed to illustrator Chris Torres, who says he based it on his own cat, Marty. Relevantly, Nyan was immortalized in a 2011 YouTube video mixed with an upbeat music track, which went viral and helped cement the e-feline as a core fixture in our collective digital consciousness.
On Monday, the YouTube account that posted the original “Nyan” video way back in 2011 posted another video for the first time in 12 years. The account, which is attributed to a user known as “saraj00n,” or Sara June, posted a short video simply titled: “meow.” The video was first spotted by 404 Media.
The video begins with the same energy and imagery of the original before the happy music and rainbow colors swiftly dissolve into a repeating series of messages: “FREE PALESTINE,” “END THE OCCUPATION,” “CEASEFIRE NOW,” “NO TO GENOCIDE.” Below the video, saraj00n also provided links to a number of related sites, including the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Jewish Voice for Peace. The YouTube account behind the video did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Gizmodo.
Conflict between Israel and Palestine has exploded over the past month after an attack by Hamas killed some 1,400 Israelis. In retaliation, Israel has launched a massive bombing campaign that the government claims is targeted at Hamas but which has overwhelmingly impacted Gaza’s civilian population. Bombing targets have included densely populated residential neighborhoods, hospitals, refugee camps, bakeries, ambulances, and many other public targets. At least 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in the past month, including approximately 4,000 children, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health statistics.
Suffice it to say, Nyan Cat is not alone. The conflict has inspired protests all over the world, with tens of thousands of people calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for a humane peace process.
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