Tensions have escalated in Jakarta following the death of Affan Kurniawan, a motorcycle ride-sharing driver, struck by an armored police vehicle during a protest on Thursday near Indonesia’s parliament.
The incident occurred as riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds demonstrating against lawmakers’ pay, education funding cuts, low wages, and job losses in the textile industry.
The unrest has sparked widespread outrage, prompting further protests and raising concerns about police brutality and economic hardship in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
On Thursday night, local media reported that riot police employed tear gas and water cannons to control demonstrators demanding higher wages, lower taxes, and the removal of politicians’ allowances.
The death of Kurniawan, who worked for ride-sharing services Gojek and Grab and was not involved in the protests, has fueled public anger.
“We are deeply disappointed, especially with the security officials and national police chief. This is barbaric,” said Ari Potret, a motorcycle driver who attended Kurniawan’s funeral.
Jakarta Legal Aid has called for the release of 600 people arrested during the demonstrations, while Usman Hamid of Amnesty International Indonesia noted, “The case of the motorbike taxi driver is just one of so many cases of excessive use of force by police.”
President Prabowo Subianto, in a video message, expressed condolences for Kurniawan’s death and condemned the police’s actions, stating, “I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers.”
He ordered a thorough and transparent investigation, but student groups, led by Muzammil Ihsan of Indonesia’s largest student union, vowed to continue protests on Friday outside Jakarta’s police headquarters.
The unrest has impacted the economy, with the rupiah dropping nearly 1% and the Jakarta Stock Exchange falling 2% on Friday.
Schools allowed early dismissals, and businesses shifted to remote work as the military was deployed in some areas.