In #BlueforSudan, users commonly changed their profile pictures to blue.
The campaign emerged in June 2019 after Sudanese activist Mohamed Mattar was killed during the Khartoum massacre on 3 June. Social-media users turned their profile images blue to show solidarity with Sudanese protesters and to draw attention to the crackdown and the country’s pro-democracy movement.
Blue had a personal meaning: it was Mattar’s favorite color. His mother connected his love of blue to his childhood habit of looking up at the sky, giving the campaign’s visual symbol an intimate memorial dimension as well as a political one.
The campaign spread internationally, inspiring artwork, poetry, music, and public statements from celebrities and activists. The profile-picture change was therefore more than a decorative trend: it was a readily recognizable sign of remembrance and support. Red, green, and black were not the defining color of this hashtag.