Turkey is currently in the midst of a wave of protests following the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu—President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most prominent political rival—on charges of corruption. Since Imamoglu's arrest, over 1,500 people have been detained for participating in "illegal demonstrations" including several journalists covering the protests.
Protesters are demonstrating against the government's anti-democratic actions and are calling for the early resignation of Erdogan's government. These demonstrations have spread to Turkey's thriving League of Legends community, which is adopting the champion Sylas as a symbol of resistance (nice spot, Dot Esports).
Turkish players are changing their summoner icons to Sylas and posting some of his quotes online. In League of Legends' lore, Sylas is from the city of Demacia - ostensibly a shining beacon of progress, justice and humility. However, magic is outlawed in Demacia, and those practicing magic are brutally hunted down and murdered. Sylas was originally one of these mage hunters, before he turned on his masters and became a pro-mage revolutionary. The champion is often depicted with broken shackles hanging from his body, symbolising his freedom from the hidden oppression of Demacia.
Sylas' position as the leader of a revolution means he has...
