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Protesters in Indonesia set fire to parliament after cops kill taxi driver

Protesters in Indonesia have set fire to a parliament building, as massive unrest sweeps the country.

Working-class people are fighting back in more than 30 towns and cities against the cost of living, politicians’ perks, and police brutality.

 

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So far, protests are predominantly aimed at parliament and the Indonesian National Police, with several police stations being damaged.

Rising anger in Indonesia

Public anger started to rise over inflation, mass layoffs, property tax increases and a controversial housing allowance for members of the Indonesian parliament. It was equivalent to nearly ten times the minimum wage in Jakarta, the capital.

Parliament previously promised wage increases and anti-corruption reforms; however, they have yet to happen.

Then, on Friday, 29 August, the Police killed a motorcycle taxi driver during a demonstration. This further fuelled the riots.

Al Jazeera reported:

Affan Kurniawan, 21, was reportedly completing a food delivery service order when an armoured police vehicle ran into him outside Indonesia’s House of Representatives as riot police dispersed crowds.

In retaliation:

Protesters marched to the headquarters of the police mobile brigade in Jakarta on Friday, and some destroyed traffic signs and other infrastructure, causing traffic to come to a standstill in the area.

As night fell, the clashes continued and quickly rippled through Jakarta and beyond, with tear gas lingering in the air and protesters refusing to disperse.

In Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, protesters stormed the governor’s office compound after destroying fences and setting fire to vehicles. Security forces fired tear gas and used water cannon, but demonstrators fought back with fireworks and wooden clubs.

TikTok also temporarily suspended live features for a few days in Indonesia, where it has over 100m users.

Police brutality

Now, people are reporting police brutality in Indonesia.

As Asia Times reported, the protests, mixed with police brutality, have killed at least six people, with hundreds injured, and over 1,200 arrested. Protesters have also ransacked politicians’ homes and looted on livestream.

However, there is also speculation about military involvement in the unrest. Asia Times reported:

the mayhem is possibly being stoked from the shadows to eventually justify a heavy-handed military intervention and possible political reset.

Rich Vs poor

Other social media users have commended the protesters, as governments worldwide deepen the divide between rich and poor.

Civilians pay taxes, and that money pays elected officials to serve. But in Indonesia, as with many other countries, paid officials have only been serving their own selfish interests for far too long.

Politicians across the world are taking home huge paychecks, with constant pay rises, benefits, housing allowances, and freebies. Meanwhile, the cost-of-living crisis worsens, and ordinary people struggle to make ends meet. As long as our politicians are able to do this, anger will continue rising. But the people of Indonesia are paying attention – and they’re pissed.

Feature image via Al Jazeera English/YouTube 

By HG

This post was originally published on Canary.