Subhead: Demonstrations over lawmakers’ pay and police violence spread from Jakarta to several provinces after video of the killing sparked nationwide outrage; authorities launch investigations as clashes continue.
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Indonesia this week after footage circulated showing a motorcycle ride-hailing driver struck and killed by a police vehicle during demonstrations in Jakarta — an incident that intensified anger over lawmakers’ pay, rising living costs and alleged heavy-handed policing.
What began as rallies outside parliament and other official buildings escalated into violent clashes in multiple cities. In Makassar, on the island of Sulawesi, a fire at a regional government building left at least three people dead and several others injured after demonstrators set the structure ablaze, officials and local media said. Protesters also torched or attacked legislative buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan and Cirebon, while police used tear gas and other crowd-control measures in Jakarta and elsewhere.
The immediate flashpoint was the death of the rider, identified in local reporting as Affan Kurniawan, who was hit by an armoured police vehicle during efforts to disperse demonstrators. That video — widely shared on social media — provoked fresh demands for transparent probes into police conduct and renewed calls for reforms to policing tactics.
Officials described a rapid spread of unrest from the capital to provincial centres. State agencies and local disaster management offices confirmed fatalities linked to building fires and other violent incidents, while hospitals reported dozens of injured demonstrators and security personnel being treated. Authorities cautioned that casualty figures were preliminary as inquiries continued.
President Prabowo Subianto expressed condolences and ordered investigations into the circumstances of the killing, while national and local police chiefs said they would look into the actions of officers involved. At the same time, security forces moved to restore order in affected areas, and officials warned that those found to have committed criminal acts during the unrest would face legal action.
The protests reflect deeper frustrations: demonstrators have been mobilised by anger over a recent decision to grant large additional allowances to hundreds of lawmakers amid a backdrop of high inflation, stagnant wages and concerns about shrinking civic space. Labour groups, students and civil society activists who joined the demonstrations say the unrest is rooted in long-standing economic grievances and demands for greater government accountability.
International and domestic rights monitors have called for calm and urged a full, independent investigation into both the killing and the police response. Observers warn that heavy-handed crackdowns could further inflame tensions at a time when mistrust between many citizens and institutions runs high.
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