Indonesia is reeling from a wave of violent protests that have swept through major cities, resulting in deadly fires, widespread unrest, and a significant test for President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. At the heart of the turmoil lies public outrage over lawmakers’ generous pay perks and the shocking death of a young delivery driver, which has ignited simmering frustrations into open revolt.
The flashpoint for the current unrest came late on Friday, August 29, 2025, when a fire broke out at the regional parliament building in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province. According to Indonesia’s disaster management agency, at least three people died—two at the scene and one later at the hospital—after being trapped inside the burning building. Five others were injured, with two reportedly suffering broken bones after leaping from the flames in desperate attempts to escape. Local disaster official Fadli Tahar confirmed, as reported by NPR, that rescuers retrieved the bodies by Saturday morning and that the blaze had left the area bathed in an eerie orange glow overnight, images of which dominated Indonesian television.
Officials, including Makassar city council secretary Rahmat Mappatoba, have squarely blamed protesters for storming and setting the building alight. The state-run Antara news agency echoed these claims, noting that the victims had been unable to escape the inferno. While the fire in Makassar was the deadliest, it was far from the only instance of arson: regional parliament buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan in Central Java, and Cirebon in West Java were also torched over the weekend, according to Reuters. In Cirebon, protesters reportedly looted office equipment before police dispersed them with tear gas.
The protests themselves began earlier in the week in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, as citizens expressed anger over revelations that all 580 lawmakers were receiving a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (about $3,075)—nearly ten times the city’s minimum wage. Many Indonesians, already struggling with rising living costs and unemployment, saw the allowance as a symbol of government excess and insensitivity. Critics, as cited by NPR, argued that the perks were "not only excessive but also insensitive at a time when most people are grappling with soaring living costs and taxes and rising unemployment."
Matters escalated dramatically on Thursday, August 28, when 21-year-old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan was killed during a protest in Jakarta. Eyewitnesses told local television that Kurniawan, who was completing a food delivery, was struck and run over by a police armored vehicle from the elite Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob). The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shocked the nation and fueled anger at the authorities. According to AFP, hundreds of demonstrators soon massed outside Brimob headquarters, hurling stones and firecrackers, while police responded with tear gas.
The violence quickly spread. In Bandung, West Java’s capital, commercial buildings—including a bank and a restaurant—were set ablaze. In Surabaya, demonstrators stormed the regional police headquarters, destroying fences and torching vehicles, leading security forces to deploy water cannons and more tear gas. Clashes between riot police and protesters erupted in cities across the archipelago, from Medan and Solo to Yogyakarta and the far-flung Papua region. In total, more than 200 protesters were reported injured in the violence, according to the Tempo news site, while the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) told NPR that around 951 people had been arrested in Jakarta alone by Thursday. About 25 police officers were hospitalized with serious injuries after being attacked by protesters.
Amnesty International was quick to condemn the government’s response, accusing authorities of suppressing free speech with forceful crackdowns on public demonstrations. "No one should lose their lives for exercising their right to protest," said Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of anyone detained solely for exercising their rights.
As the violence escalated, President Prabowo Subianto—who took office less than a year ago—found himself facing the first major test of his leadership. Prabowo visited the family of Affan Kurniawan late on Friday, offering condolences and promising to oversee a thorough investigation into the young man’s death. He also ordered authorities to take "firm action" against protesters who violated laws, according to national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, as reported by Reuters. Yet, Prabowo also urged calm and warned that the demonstrations were "leading to anarchic actions."
In the wake of the violence, the disruptions to daily life in Jakarta and other cities were significant. The capital’s mass rapid transit railway announced that trains would not stop at one station near the protest site on Saturday, August 30, and the city-owned Transjakarta bus service was unable to serve customers in affected areas. Authorities spent Saturday clearing debris from burned-out vehicles, police offices, and bus shelters. Meanwhile, isolated looting was reported in Jakarta, and damage to transportation facilities was noted in Bandung and Yogyakarta.
Journalists and observers on the ground described the protests as different from previous demonstrations, with anger at the police and government reaching new heights. Juan Robin, a reporter with Narasi, told Al Jazeera, "This is different than other recent protests," adding that the police used tear gas on protesters throughout Friday and that there were unconfirmed reports of "provocateurs" stoking violence. While the immediate protests appeared to be subsiding by Saturday, Robin and others suggested that broader mass demonstrations would continue until public demands were addressed.
Authorities have moved to investigate the most egregious incidents. Seven members of the police motor brigade linked to Affan Kurniawan’s death have been detained and questioned, according to NPR. The disaster management agency confirmed that two of the injuries in the Makassar fire were sustained by people jumping from the building in attempts to escape.
The unrest has exposed deep fissures in Indonesian society, from anger at perceived government excess to longstanding grievances over police brutality and economic inequality. As the world’s third-largest democracy grapples with these challenges, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether President Prabowo’s government can restore calm without further eroding public trust.
For now, Indonesians are left to count the cost of a week that saw their cities aflame, their leaders under scrutiny, and their hopes for justice and reform tested as never before.