Indonesian students vow more protests after one killed in Jakarta demonstration

29/8/2025 16:00

Tensions have risen in Indonesia's capital following a protest call by students at Jakarta's police headquarters on Friday in response to the death of a motorcycle ride-sharing driver hit by a police vehicle.



The driver was hit at the site of violent clashes on Thursday near the parliament as police were trying to disperse demonstrators protesting against a number of issues including lawmakers' pay and education funding.



The protest call for Friday afternoon in the capital of Southeast Asia's largest economy prompted a number of schools to allow students to leave early and banks and businesses asking employees to work from home. The military has been deployed in some areas, visuals broadcast by local media showed.



Muzammil Ihsan, head of Indonesia's largest student union, told Reuters that students will protest against police violence on Friday afternoon, and he expected other student groups to attend. President Prabowo Subianto, in a specially recorded video message, called for calm, expressed condolences for the death of the driver, Affan Kurniawan, and ordered a thorough probe of the incident.



"I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers," Prabowo said, adding, "I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation...and officers involved must be held accountable."