Police killing sparks Indonesia unrest in first major test for Prabowo presidency
The death of a motorcycle taxi driver struck by a police tactical vehicle has triggered mass protests across Indonesia, marking the first major political test for President Prabowo Subianto less than a year into his administration.
The victim, identified as 29-year-old Affan Kurniawan, was killed during clashes near parliament on Thursday as police tried to disperse demonstrators protesting lawmakers’ allowances, education funding, and government programs. Authorities later confirmed that Kurniawan, who worked for ride-hailing apps Gojek and Grab, was not involved in the protests, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri apologized to Kurniawan’s family. National police said seven officers in the vehicle have been detained for 20 days pending an ethics probe.
On Friday, hundreds of protesters – including drivers, students, and civil society groups – gathered at parliament and police headquarters in Jakarta, chanting “Killer! Killer!” and throwing stones. Demonstrations also spread to other cities, including Surabaya, Bandung, and Gorontalo.
The unrest forced schools to close early and prompted businesses and banks to send workers home. Local media reported police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds.
President Prabowo expressed condolences, calling the police actions “excessive” and ordering a transparent investigation. “Officers involved must be held accountable,” he said in a televised address urging calm.
Analysts warn the crisis could escalate. “If Prabowo isn’t careful, protests may devolve into chaos,” said Made Supriatma of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
The political turmoil weighed on markets. The rupiah fell 0.9% to 16,495 per dollar, while Jakarta’s stock index dropped as much as 2.3% before closing 1.5% lower, its sharpest daily fall in over two weeks.
Jakarta Legal Aid has demanded the release of around 600 protesters detained during the demonstrations. At Kurniawan’s funeral, hundreds of fellow drivers formed a motorcycle convoy through Jakarta in his honor.
“We are deeply disappointed, especially with the security officials and national police chief. This is barbaric,” said driver Ari Potret.
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