This meme stems from a deleted Instagram post by climate activist Greta Thunberg in October 2023, where she expressed support for Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. Sharp-eyed critics noticed a small blue plush octopus sitting on a couch in the background, which some identified as a historical anti-Semitic trope symbolizing global control. Thunberg later clarified that the toy is an 'emotion octopus' commonly used by neurodivergent individuals to communicate feelings, and she reposted the image without the plushie to avoid further misunderstanding. The controversy quickly became a subject of internet debate, with many users creating memes about the absurdity of over-analyzing background objects versus the sensitivity of political symbols.