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31 Aug 2025 13:58
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  •   Home > News > Education

    Indonesian protests spread as anger grows over death of motorcycle driver who hit by police car

    People have taken to the streets across the country, with rallies over MP perks growing to include criticism of police after a man died after being hit by a police vehicle.


    Protests have spread across Indonesia amid anger over the death of a young man hit by a police vehicle at an anti-government rally.

    Rallies started earlier this week in Jakarta after reports that MPs were receiving a housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($4,739) per month to stay in the capital — about 20 times the monthly minimum wage in impoverished areas, and nearly 10 times the minimum wage in the capital.

    Protests continued into Thursday, when 600 people were arrested and motorcycle driver Affan Kurniawan was hit by a police car.

    Videos circulated on social media showing a black tactical vehicle running over him, sparking significant backlash online.

    He later died in hospital.

    President Prabowo Subianto urged calm on Friday and promised an investigation into the death of Mr Kurniawan.

    But angry Indonesians amassed hours later outside the headquarters of the paramilitary police unit they blame for his death and threw firecrackers. 

    While hundreds watched on waving Indonesian flags, a group of protesters tried to tear down the gates and successfully pulled a sign from the building's facade.  

    As scenes grew increasingly chaotic, there were fires made by burning tyres and cardboard boxes. 

    Some protesters picked up the police-fired canisters and hurled them to safety, receiving loud cheers from the crowd as night fell.

    The week's protests were the most violent since Mr Prabowo took office in October, and mark an early challenge for the president who has pledged fast, state-driven growth.

    But some of his policies, including widespread budget cuts announced this year to fund his flagship free meal programme for school children and a new sovereign wealth fund, have sparked public discontent.

    Police shouted through megaphones demanding they stop throwing objects and go home, accusing the crowd of launching rocks and Molotov cocktails.

    Protests also spread beyond Jakarta to other major cities in Indonesia, including Surabaya in East Java and Medan in North Sumatra province. 

    Hundreds of drivers, many dressed in their signature green and black jackets, hurled objects at the local police headquarters in both cities.

    Jakarta police did not respond to AFP's request for data on arrests in the protests.

    Thousands of drivers gathered near the police mobile brigade headquarters in Jakarta on Friday, demanding accountability for Mr Affan's death, as officers cordoned off a stretch of road nearby.

    Police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse protesters, mostly motorcycle taxi drivers known locally as "ojeks".

    "I joined the protest because I'm very concerned about the death of my fellow driver," 52-year-old Muzakir told AFP. 

    "We demand justice for Affan, for the perpetrators who ran him over to be tried as fairly as possible, and to be fired from their institution."

    Authorities are questioning seven officers in connection with the incident, police said.

    "We have agreed that the seven suspected violators have been proven to have violated the police ethics codes," the National Police's head of internal affairs division Abdul Karim told a press conference.

    He said the officers would be detained for further investigation.

    ABC/wires


    ABC




    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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