Indonesia On Edge: Deadly Protests Force Prabowo Into Crisis Mode

Indonesia’s worst wave of violent protests in years has temporarily eased after the government unleashed military and police crackdowns on rioters and looters.

Some student groups and civil society organizations called off their demonstrations on Monday, fearing harsher reprisals after a bloody weekend of unrest. Still, hundreds pressed on with protests at universities in Bandung, West Java, despite threats of police raids, local media reported.

At least eight people have been killed so far. The protests began peacefully last week over lawmakers’ lavish housing perks but spiraled into chaos on Thursday after an armored police vehicle fatally struck a rideshare driver.

By the weekend, the unrest had spread across the archipelago: protesters torched legislative buildings, looted politicians’ homes, and clashed with security forces. Police have arrested more than 3,000 people nationwide, including over 1,200 in Jakarta alone, according to state news agency Antara.

A President Under Pressure

The turmoil has forced President Prabowo Subianto to cancel a planned trip to China as discontent over his policies boils over less than a year into his presidency.

Though Prabowo promised concessions, including a reduction in lawmakers’ benefits, he simultaneously ordered stern military and police action, framing elements of the unrest as acts of terrorism and treason. Rights groups condemned the remarks as tone-deaf.

“Labeling public demonstrations as terrorism ignores the real grievances people have,” said Usman Hamid of Amnesty International Indonesia. “The president’s comments are insensitive to the public’s concerns.”

Why Indonesians Are Angry

The spark came from a controversial housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,000) a month for lawmakers—more than ten times the national minimum wage. But simmering frustrations run deeper.

“People’s purchasing power is collapsing while living costs rise. Our representatives are flaunting wealth while citizens struggle to survive,” said Daniel Winarta of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.

From Peaceful Rally to Deadly Clash

Tensions exploded Thursday night when a police vehicle killed motorbike driver Affan Kurniawan during protests in Jakarta. His death fueled further outrage, spreading protests nationwide.

By Sunday, the military was deployed to protect the presidential palace, while looters stormed the home of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. Social media platforms even took precautionary measures—TikTok suspended its live-streaming feature in Indonesia for several days to prevent the spread of violent content.

A Year of Unrest Under Prabowo

Since taking office last October, Prabowo—a former general with a controversial past—has faced growing opposition. Earlier this year, the Gelap Indonesia (Dark Indonesia) movement denounced his military-friendly reforms, and discontent widened to issues of corruption, police brutality, and economic hardship.

His flagship free school lunch program has already been marred by mass food poisoning incidents, with over 1,000 people sickened. Proposed property tax hikes, budget cuts for road maintenance, and the perception of elite privilege have only added fuel to the fire.

Human Rights Watch researcher Andreas Harsono noted that while Prabowo retains support among military and business elites, many ordinary Indonesians remain disillusioned.

“It’s less than a year, but we’ve already seen at least three major nationwide protests,” Harsono said. “Whether these demonstrations escalate further depends on how the government responds to people’s economic pain.”

What’s Next?

For many Indonesians, the anger goes far beyond housing perks—it’s about deep-seated inequality and disappointment in the government’s heavy-handed response.

“We’re not going to be surprised if another protest happens again,” said Jorgiana Augustine, 28. “This is about long-term economic frustrations. What happened this week is just the trigger.”