In a country long rich with visual symbolism, the use of colour to express one's dissatisfaction with the government seems to be gaining popularity.
Colours can be more than aesthetic choices in Indonesian politics; they can be political tools. From the end of Joko Widodo's administration (2014-2024) to the first year of President Prabowo Subianto's leadership, Indonesian protesters have used colours as symbols in large-scale demonstrations, such as Emergency Warning (#PeringatanDarurat) in August 2024, Indonesia Gelap ("Dark Indonesia") in early 2025, and the recent "17+8" Movement (reflecting students' and activists' demands after last month's protests.
In the 17+8 Movement, the use of pink, green and blue was closely linked to the socio-political context. A mother wearing a pink headscarf who stood alone facing a group of police officers on 28 August 2025 became an instant inspiration (roughly translated from Bahasa as "brave pink"). Pink, often associated with femininity, care and softness, has become a symbolo for Indonesia's young activists' reclaiming of sensitivity and resistance and a source of political strength; some movements use pink to symbolise "active non-violence".
Meanwhile, green refers to the death of Affan Kurniawan, a motorcycle (ojol) driver wearing his delivery rider green jacket. Kurniawan was killed by a police vehicle during a demonstration on 28 August. Honouring his death, the protestors use green to symbolise heroism (roughly translated from Bahasa as "hero green"). A dark blue hue nicknamed "resistance blue" was the colour used by those supporting the "emergency warning" movement and protests against Jokowi; for some, blue symbolises directness, confrontation, and an uncompromising stance.
While variously triggered by public disapproval of the candidacy of Jokowi's younger son and other indications of nepotism in regional elections, Prabowo's budget cuts and revision of the military law, and distaste for Indonesian parliamentary members' lifestyles, these movements reflect the escalation of public disappointment with socio-economic and political conditions, including unfavourable state policies widening inequality.
This deep-seated dissatisfaction was earlier reflected in a survey conducted by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute of undergraduate students in six Southeast Asian countries from August to October 2024 (during Jokowi's presidency). Compared to their Southeast Asian counterparts, Indonesian youth exhibited the highest level of dissatisfaction (71.5 per cent of their national sample) with their political system, and the lowest level of optimism (62.6 per cent) about Indonesia's economic outlook. Furthermore, 67.3 per cent of Indonesian respondents viewed Indonesia's income inequality as "very unfair" or "unfair," the highest among the sampled countries.
Why have protest movements in Indonesia used colours as emblems of resistance?
Colours have held symbolic power in the history of Indonesia's political formation and development. "Merah-putih" (red and white) as the colours of the flag have symbolised Indonesia. Green, the colour of choice for the various Islamic parties, is now adopted by some environmental movements and activists as well. Among major parties, PDI-P famously emblazons its banteng (buffalo logo) on a red background; Golkar's yellow flag stands out.
More broadly, colours can be used to signal a person's political identity, motivate resistance across large groups, and construct intangible struggles by transforming what is invisible like anger, grief, solidarity, and hope into visible and evocative symbols. Choosing a hue to represent a particular political or social movement is typically not a random choice but an intentional way of framing a narrative, expressing principles, and creating visibility among divergent voices.
Significantly, colours can convey emotion. Based on colour symbolism, the subjective meanings that humans attribute to different colours can include how red evokes urgency, strength, and power; yellow, optimism and energy; blue, calm, trust and peace; green, rejuvenation and growth; and black provoking passion, death or boldness. When movements choose representative colours, they shape the emotional expression of their cause. Thus, the use of black for the "Indonesia Gelap" (Dark Indonesia) movement implied the public's distrust in politicians and their deep pessimism toward socio-political and economic conditions in Indonesia.
Colours can distinguish ideological camps. In Thai politics, for example, colours became a clear battlefield since the political ferment of the 2000s and in 2010. It is well known that the "Yellow Shirts" support royalist and conservative values, capitalising on the colour yellow's link to the monarchy, especially the beloved late King Bhumibol. They are opposed by the "Red Shirts", a populist movement established in support of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and reform.
Activist movements in Indonesia seem to be using colours more often after the "Emergency Warning" protests, partly as the government increasingly criminalised certain forms of online activism after the passage of the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law. While there were 74 cases during Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's era (2004-2014), the number of cases involving the ITE Law in reached 233 and 241, respectively, in Jokowi's first and second term. Last May, for instance, an ITB student who posted a Prabowo-Jokowi meme was arrested for alleged violations of the Criminal Code and the ITE laws.
Given this policing of online spaces, wearing a colour to express one's objection to the ruling government may be a safer choice. Colours are accessible for Indonesians of different backgrounds, and surpass literacy, class, and language barriers. They may be worn, waved, painted, or shared digitally. In the context of the "Indonesia Gelap" and 17+8 movements, instructions on what colour to wear for protests circulated on social media. These movements quickly spread online and in person, with some encouraging the public to voice their concerns directly on the streets. When governments restrict speech or certain words, colours can serve as subtle but effective forms of resistance.
[Iim Halimatusa'diyah is a Visiting Senior Fellow in the Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, a Senior Lecturer at Islamic State University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, and a Deputy Director for Research at the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) UIN Jakarta.]