Sonic the Hedgehog has always been a proponent of taking a stand against oppressive regimes. Since Sega first introduced the anthropomorphic hedgehog to the masses way back in 1991, Sonic has been embroiled in multiple successful operations aimed at dismantling Dr. Eggman's plans of taking over the world.
This weekend, Sonic became a symbol of hope to those across the nation gathering in solidarity to oppose various neo-Nazi groups following the Charlottesville terrorist attack:
The photo above from a peaceful demonstration in West Hartford, Connecticut comes from U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. As Mashablereported Monday morning, there is, in fact, a man standing in the front row rocking a must-have Sonic the Hedgehog t-shirt. The shirt was quickly spotted in the replies. To prevent you from having to scroll through idiotic comments from Nazi sympathizers calling for Blumenthal to speak out against incomparable groups such as Black Lives Matter, we've embedded the Sonic-related replies below:
Others noted Sonic's long history of representing social justice:
The dude rocking the Sonic shirt in Blumenthal's photo has been identified as Ben Aech. Previously, Aech wore the shirt while participating in the March for Science.
If you're now looking for your own "Sonic says no to fascism and racism" t-shirt, there are currently a few options available online. A blue-and-white color combo similar to the one seen in Blumenthal's viral photo is available here via Teespring starting at $22.99 for a printed Hanes tagless. Multiple color options using a slightly different logo are also available via Redbubble starting at $20.31.
