Bandung – Emotions ran high during a protest Wednesday outside the provincial council building and governor's office here against a proposal by state power firm PT PLN to raise electricity rates.

The protesters, from Bandung Institute of Technology and the Association of Islamic Students (HMI), burned several tires outside the gates of the building. When police used fire extinguishers to put out the blaze, the wind blew the spray from the extinguishers toward the protesters. Soon, several students were involved in a physical clash with officers, though no one was seriously injured.

A member of HMI, Vino, criticized the proposal to raise power rates, accusing the government of ignoring the poor. He also called for an investigation into the finances of PLN. "(The planned hike) spells death for the poor, who are already suffering due to the fuel price increases," he said.