JAKARTA (Realist English). Indonesian authorities have stepped up security nationwide after protests over lawmakers’ financial perks and worsening economic conditions escalated into deadly clashes, leaving at least six people dead.
The demonstrations, initially peaceful, turned violent late last week after video footage showed members of an elite police unit running over 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan during a protest in Jakarta on Thursday. Anger quickly spread across the country, marking the most serious unrest since President Prabowo Subianto took office.
Protests have since been reported in Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya and Medan, as well as the capital. Student groups announced plans for further gatherings on Monday.
On Sunday night, police deployed armoured vehicles and motorbikes around parliament in Jakarta as a deterrent, while checkpoints and patrols were established across the city. Police told Kompas TV that the measures aimed to “protect citizens and provide a sense of security.”
The crisis has forced Prabowo to cancel a planned trip to China for a World War II anniversary parade, underscoring the severity of the situation. His ally, Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, warned that security forces would take “firm action” against what he described as “rioters and looters,” after protesters ransacked the finance minister’s home.
Casualties have mounted: three people died in Makassar after protesters set fire to a council building on Friday, while another was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of being an intelligence officer, according to local officials. In Yogyakarta, Amikom Yogyakarta University confirmed the death of student Rheza Sendy Pratama during protests, though the circumstances remain unclear.
In response to unrest and the rapid spread of protest-related content, TikTok temporarily suspended its live-streaming feature in Indonesia on Saturday, where the platform has more than 100 million users.
The government’s U-turn on lawmakers’ benefits has so far failed to calm tensions, with opposition groups warning of further escalation unless police accountability is addressed.
