Indonesian authorities have ramped up security across major cities after violent protests left at least six people dead. The unrest, which began in Jakarta over proposed financial perks for lawmakers, escalated sharply after a video showed a police vehicle running over a 21-year-old delivery driver, Affan Kurniawan.
The footage triggered nationwide outrage, with student-led rallies spreading to Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, Medan, and other cities. Demonstrations quickly turned violent — government buildings were torched, including the Finance Minister’s residence. In Makassar, three people were killed when a council building was set on fire, while in Yogyakarta, a university confirmed that student Rheza Sendy Pratama died during the clashes. Another man was beaten to death by a mob after being mistaken for an intelligence officer.
Facing growing pressure, President Prabowo Subianto scrapped the proposed perks and canceled a planned visit to China. His government has warned that security forces will take firm action against rioters, while police in Jakarta have set up checkpoints and deployed armored vehicles around parliament and other key sites.
Authorities expect further demonstrations this week. In response, TikTok has suspended its live-streaming feature in Indonesia, where it has more than 100 million users, in an effort to limit the spread of unrest online.
