Jakarta (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday criticised protests related to economic issues and inequality, stating that certain actions during these demonstrations that have occurred nationwide recently could be considered treason and acts of terrorism.
Protests have shaken Indonesia‘s major cities following the death of motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan, who was fatally struck by a police vehicle during a demonstration on Thursday against lawmakers’ financial benefits.
What damage and looting occurred during the violent demonstrations?
On Saturday, protesters started fires in regional parliament buildings in three provinces: West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan city (Central Java), and Cirebon city (West Java), according to local media.
Local media reported that in Cirebon, the protestors looted a parliamentary office’s equipment. In Pekalongan and West Nusa Tenggara, police fired teargas to disperse the crowds. According to reports, Indonesia’s Minister of Finance’s home was also looted.
How many casualties have occurred to this point?
The state news agency Antara reported that there were three deaths from a deliberately set fire at a parliament building in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Friday. The fatalities occurred due to being trapped in the construction.
When did the protests begin, and what were the grievances?
On Monday, August 25, 2025, protests in Indonesia began, fueled by public outrage over deemed excessive perks and housing allowances being provided to lawmakers at a time of stagnant pay, rising unemployment, and inflation. The situation escalated quickly on Thursday when video of a police armoured truck running over the 21-year-old delivery driver, Affan Kurniawan, went viral on social media.
The protests were taking place in Jakarta, where the riot police were clashing with student protesters, and Kurniawan was alleged to be delivering food when he was run over by an armoured police truck that drove away without helping him.
