![I Am A Free I Am Not Man A Number Protestor sign at an anti-coronavirus lockdown protest which is difficult to read](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/034/022/EYNyxVwX0AQ9-WM.jpg)
I Am A Free I Am Not Man A Number
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About
I Am A Free I Am Not Man A Number refers to a sign seen at an anti-coronavirus lockdown protest in Hyde Park, London, UK in May of 2020. The sign is meant to read, "I am a free man. I am not a number," but the way its letters are formatted makes the meaning unclear, leading to a misunderstanding similar to Don't Dead Open Inside. The original phrase is a reference to the 1967 television series The Prisoner.
Origin
On September 29th, 1967, the British television series The Prisoner premiered.[7] On the show, the main character Number 6 says, "I'm not a number, I'm a free man!"
On May 16th, 2020, a group of anti-coronavirus lockdown protestors demonstrated at Hyde Park in London.[1] A protestor there carried a sign intended to read, "I am a free man. I am not a number," but unclear letter formatting led many to read it as "I Am A Free I Am Not Man A Number." It was tweeted several times that day, including by user @ladyhaja,[2] who gained over 3,500 retweets and 34,000 likes (shown below).
![i am a free TAMAFREE TAM NOT MANI A NUMBER पपंज](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/682/447.jpeg)
Spread
As the image spread on Twitter, users joked that the sign reflected the intelligence of the protestors. User @SpillerofTea[3] wrote, "I’m not saying the dickheads in Hyde Park today are as thick as fucking pigshit. I’m not saying that, but the sign that reads: I am a FREE I am not MAN A NUMBER …is fucking bellowing it with a full throat," gaining over 1,000 retweets and 5,600 likes (shown below, left). User @davemacladd[4] joked, can anyone unlock the riddle of the #covidiots?" in response, gaining over 390 retweets and 2,500 likes (shown below, right).
![Bellowing Маx @SpillerOfTea I'm not saying the d-------- in Hyde Park today are as thick as f------ pigshit. *I'm* not saying that, but the sign that reads: I am a FREE I am not MAN A NUMBER ..is f------ bellowing it with a full throat. TAMAFREE TAM NOT MAN A NUMBER](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/686/891.png)
![the covidiots end of daves @davemacladd can anyone unlock the riddle of the #covidiots? I'm two hours in and all l've got is 38? I am a FREE I am not MAN A NUMBER #HydePark TAMAFREE IAM NOT MAN 11:06 AM · May 16, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/688/77f.png)
Others made photo edits with the phrase. User @kappa_kappa[5] posted a sign bunny meme with the phrase, gaining over 340 retweets and 3,100 likes (shown below, left). User @HappyRa33981776[6] joked the phrase was like a riddle on a game show (shown below, right).
![Sign Bunny your own personal jesus ФКарра Карра Rad |I AM A FREE | |I AM NOT MAN | |A NUMBER (_) || (•d•)|| 12:16 AM · May 18, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/696/319.png)
![Game Show Riddle Happy Rabbit @HappyRa33981776 ALAY I AM A FREE, I AM NOT MAN, A NUMBER! Brings back some good memories....3-2-1 I AM A FREE, I AM NOT MAN, A NUMBER Who or what am 1? 3:47 PM · May 16, 2020 · Twitter for Android](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/699/479.png)
Various Examples
![Stunning. Brave Dogman Al @DogmanAl "I am a free, I am not man, A number" Powerful and thought provoking. Clued up and enlightened . Stunning and Brave TAMAFREE IAM NOT MAN 5:29 AM · May 17, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/702/d5a.png)
![Swing and a Miss James Felton @JimMFelton practicing to try and impress my virus nonce friends: "I am a free man not a number, I am a free man not a number" Out loud: "I AM A FREE I AM NOT MAN A NUMBER" TAMAFREE TAM NOT MAN A NUMBER 10:40 AM · May 16, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone >](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/703/2b6.png)
![Good shirt Caitlin Moran @caitlinmoran Is anyone yet making "I AM A FREE. I AM NOT A MAN. A NUMBER" t-shirts yet? I think I would buy one. IAMAFREE JAM NOT MANI A NUMBER 8:02 AM · May 17, 2020 · TweetDeck](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/705/216.png)
![My Epitaph Cinbric Ralf Little @RalfLittle Remember me by these words: I am a free I am not man A number. TAMA FREE TAM NOT MANI A NUMBER 6:51 PM · May 16, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone >](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/707/c81.png)
![protest learner Janey Godley @JaneyGodley · May 16 Hyde park with a “learner” in protest poster skills “I AM A FREE I AM NOT MAN A NUMBER”](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/708/ef0.png)
![surrealist poetry convention Matt Haig @matthaig1 'I am a free I am not man a number.' Lovely to see that even in lockdown the annual outdoor surrealist poetry convention is still popular. TAMAFREE TAM NOT MANI A NUMBER 9:56 AM · May 16, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/851/709/89d.png)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Independent – Inside the UK’s biggest anti-lockdown protest
[3] Twitter – @spilleroftea
[4] Twitter – @davemacladd
[5] Twitter – Kappa_Kappa
[6] Twitter – happy rabbit
[7] IMDB – The Prisoner
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Top Comments
OtoishiSenpai
May 18, 2020 at 03:32PM EDT
FragrantGC
May 18, 2020 at 03:28PM EDT