Indonesian groups call off protests on Monday, citing heightened security

1/9/2025 12:42

Indonesian students and civil society groups called off protests in Jakarta on Monday after a week of escalating anger over lawmakers' pay and the police response, citing fears of heightened security measures after deadly riots across the country on the weekend.



The protests began a week ago, and have spread nationwide, escalating in size and intensity after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver on Thursday night. Eight people have died in the protests, chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Monday.



On Sunday, President Prabowo Subianto said political parties had agreed to cut lawmakers' benefits, in an attempt to calm the protests, and also ordered the military and police to act against rioters and looters after homes of political party members and state buildings were ransacked or set ablaze.



The Alliance of Indonesian Women, a coalition of women-led civil society groups, said it had delayed planned protests at the parliament to avoid any crackdown by authorities.



Student groups also delayed a protest on Monday, with one umbrella group saying the decision was "due to very impossible conditions".