On Friday, August 29, three people died during protests in Indonesia. The demonstrations spread nationwide, turning into a broader expression of discontent with President Prabowo Subianto and his policies. According to M. Fadli Tahar, acting head of the regional disaster management agency in Makassar, it emerged on Saturday that the victims were civil servants: they tried to escape a building set on fire by protesters and jumped from the third floor.
Dozens of cars and motorcycles were damaged in the unrest. Photos and videos shared on social media by the All-Indonesia Student Union, which organized the rallies, showed that buses and motorbikes were also set ablaze.
Burnt cars after the protests in Jakarta, Indonesia. August 30, 2025.
Police officers taking position in Jakarta, Indonesia. August 30, 2025.
By Friday evening, protest organizers had yet to announce whether new rallies would be held on Saturday. The demonstrations, which began on Monday in Jakarta, quickly spread across the country, becoming a test for Prabowo Subianto, who took office in October to lead the nation of 284 million people. On Thursday night, a police vehicle attempting to disperse the crowd struck and killed 21-year-old motorcyclist Affan Kurniawan, the family’s main breadwinner. Authorities ordered an investigation into his death, and on Friday Prabowo visited the victim’s family to offer his support, said Minister Ahmad Riza Patria.
Protesters clashing with members of the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) in Jakarta. August 29, 2025.
This week, police use of force has reignited fears among many Indonesians that under Prabowo, a former general, democratic institutions and civil rights could be at risk. In 1998, he was dismissed from the military for his involvement in the abduction and torture of pro-democracy activists during the rule of Suharto, Prabowo’s former father-in-law.
Protesters removing a sign from the facade of the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) headquarters in Jakarta. August 29, 2025.
Protesters outside a police headquarters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, near burning cars. August 29, 2025.
The protesters are demanding an end to housing allowances for lawmakers, which they consider excessive amid the country’s economic difficulties. Consumer prices are rising quickly, and the unemployment rate could become the highest in Southeast Asia this year, the IMF has warned.
By Friday, demonstrations had spread to at least six cities, with some turning violent. In Jakarta, police in riot gear fired tear gas, and navy marines were deployed to help maintain order.