Jihan Ristiyanti, Jakarta – Commissioner General Syahardiantono, Head of the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), has announced the legal actions taken against individuals involved in the nationwide riots that occurred from August 25 to August 31, 2025.
"There are a total of 959 suspects, consisting of 664 adults and 295 minors," he stated during a press conference at the Bareskrim building on Wednesday, September 24th, 2025.
Syahardiantono clarified that all suspects were perpetrators of the riots, not participants in the peaceful demonstrations. These cases are being handled by Bareskrim and 15 regional police departments.
The suspects have been distributed among the following regional police departments:
- Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police: 232 suspects
- East Java Regional Police: 325 suspects
- West Java Regional Police: 111 suspects
- Central Java Regional Police: 136 suspects
- South Sulawesi Regional Police: 58 suspects
- Bali Regional Police: 14 suspects
- West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police: 21 suspects
- Yogyakarta Special Region Regional Police: 5 suspects
- Banten Regional Police: 2 suspects
- Jambi Regional Police: 3 suspects
- Lampung Regional Police: 8 suspects
- South Sumatra Regional Police: 26 suspects
- West Kalimantan Regional Police: 4 suspects
- East Kalimantan Regional Police: 7 suspects
- West Sulawesi Regional Police: 2 suspects
Additionally, five suspects are being handled directly by Bareskrim Polri.
Alleged criminal acts and background
The individuals have been named suspects for various offenses, including inciting riots, spreading provocative content on social media, inciting arson, and making, storing, or using Molotov cocktails during the riots, as well as looting.
The protests began on Thursday, August 28, 2025, with laborers and students demonstrating in front of the Indonesian Parliament (MPR/DPR RI) in Senayan to criticize the exorbitant allowances for parliament members. While the protest initially proceeded peacefully, disturbances broke out as the evening approached.
The situation escalated when police attempts to disperse the crowd resulted in the death of a motorcycle taxi driver, Affan Kurniawan, who was hit by a vehicle from the Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob). Kurniawan's death sparked widespread public outrage, leading to the Brimob headquarters in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, being stormed by protestors that same night.