Large-scale protests caused by the cost of living and low wages continue to escalate in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. A motorcycle network car driver was killed by a police armored vehicle on the 28th, further intensifying public dissatisfaction.

A demonstrator clashes with anti-violence police outside the motorcycle brigade headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. During a clash on August 29, 2025, a motorcycle taxi driver was struck by a police tactical vehicle and killed during a protest (Reuters)

The victim, named Affan Kurniawan, was killed outside the Capitol Building. Police were dispersing a crowd demanding higher wages, lower taxes and the abolition of MPs' allowances. Police admitted that an armored police vehicle hit and killed Kurniawan in the clash. His family and motorcycle drivers' association stressed that he did not participate in the protest himself, but worked nearby.

A large number of motorcyclists gathered outside the motorcycle headquarters in Jakarta on the 29th to protest police action, while student groups called for more people to gather outside the police headquarters in the capital.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has expressed his condolences to the deceased and criticized the police for excessive law enforcement. He ordered a "comprehensive and transparent investigation" and emphasized that the police officers involved must bear responsibility. The capital police chief also publicly apologized at a press conference.

According to reports, the protest lasted from the 28th until late at night. The police fired tear gas and dispatched water cannons to disperse the crowd. There were also incidents of destruction of public facilities and arson on the scene.

Protesters clash with riot police outside the Parliament Building in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 28, 2025. Demonstrators say they are protesting against the excessive allowance of Indonesian parliamentarians (Reuters)

The root cause of the protest lies in the dispute over housing allowances for members of parliament. The newly introduced subsidies amount to 20 times the local minimum wage in some areas, causing widespread dissatisfaction in society. At the same time, people also protested against low wages, government spending cuts and a wave of layoffs in the textile industry.

Analysts said the protests were a concentrated outburst of economic and political discontent that has long been building in Indonesian society. Mr. Limula, co-founder of social media platform What's Wrong with Indonesia?, said the government's response to a deteriorating economy, a collapsing job market and massive job losses was seen as cold and even insulting.

Amnesty International Indonesia warned that Kurniawan's death highlighted a long-standing problem of police violence. Its director, Hamid, said there were frequent incidents of excessive police force, arbitrary detention and even extrajudicial killings in many parts of Indonesia.

As protests escalate, Jakarta's parliament building and police headquarters have become the focus of conflict, and the situation is still developing further.

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Compilation link: https://ajch.io/5m1xwz