Although originally an apolitical character in Furie’s works and its original internet popularity, Pepe was appropriated from 2015 onward as a symbol of the alt-right white nationalist movement.[7][8][9] The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) included Pepe in its hate symbol database in 2016, but said most instances of Pepe were not used in a hate-related context.[10][11] Since then, Furie has expressed his dismay at Pepe being used as a hate symbol and has sued organizations for doing so