20 Behind-The-Scenes Facts From The Hunger Games
9. Show Them The Finger(s)
The Three Finger Salute made famous by the franchise originated in District 12.
At first, it was a sign of love and respect — described by Katniss as being used at funerals as a sign of “thanks, admiration, and goodbye”. It makes sense why District 12 uses it when Katniss volunteers for her sister; her act was brave, never-before-seen, and the district had only ever seen two Hunger Games winners prior in 74 years. Goodbye Katniss indeed.
However, the sign soon became more polarising than we might have first expected. In Thailand, the Three Finger Salute was picked up as a sign of protest. It was used against a military coup in control of the Thai government, and was adopted in 2014 after the release of Mockingjay Part 1. As such, the action is now illegal in Thailand.
It is understandable why the symbol of love quickly became a symbol of protest. The Hunger Games series is rather political, and Katniss uses the salute in defiance of the Capitol, leading to the districts following in her stead. Even so, for it to affect real-world laws is quite a feat.