Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Civil society groups and university students protested against various government policies marking two years of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration across several regions on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Demonstrators expressed their demands through diverse actions, including activists from Greenpeace Indonesia who unfurled vertical banners from the Welcome Statue at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Central Jakarta on Tuesday morning.
In another corner of the capital, a student coalition operating under the Save People's Sovereignty Committee staged a demonstration at the Proclamation Monument and the Hero Monument (Tani Monument) in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The committee comprises several student executive bodies (BEM) from various universities. Students also organized rallies in other cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Makassar. Here are some of the actions that took place on Tuesday, October 20, 2026:
Greenpeace actions at Hotel Indonesia roundabout
Six Greenpeace Indonesia activists held a protest at the Welcome Statue at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Central Jakarta on Tuesday morning. The environmental campaigners scaled the approximately 30-meter-tall monument located in the heart of Jakarta before unfurling two large banners.
One banner read, "Tangani Krisis Iklim, Turunkan Biaya Hidup" (Address the Climate Crisis, Reduce the Cost of Living), facing north toward the Merdeka Palace, while another read, "Bencana Makin Parah, Hidup Makin Susah, Apa Kerja Pemerintah?" (Disasters Are Getting Worse, Life Is Getting Harder, What Is the Government Doing?) facing south at the roundabout.
Through this action, Greenpeace urged the government to seriously address the environmental crisis, including the extensive forest and land fires that have swept through Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua in recent months. Following the rally, police escorted the activists to the Jakarta Metro Police Headquarters. After an interrogation lasting roughly eight hours, police released them on Tuesday night.
Student demonstrations in Jakarta
Several hours after the Greenpeace Indonesia rally, students united under the Save People's Sovereignty Committee took their turn to demonstrate in Jakarta. This coalition includes BEM representatives from the University of Indonesia, the Student Family of the Bandung Institute of Technology, BEM Padjadjaran University, BEM Diponegoro University, BEM Semarang State University, the Student Union of Gadjah Mada University, BEM Veteran National Development University Yogyakarta, BEM Airlangga University, BEM Brawijaya University, alongside several other campuses.
The initial rally gathered at the Proclamation Monument on Penataran Street, Pegangsaan, Menteng, Central Jakarta, at around 9:00 a.m. WIB. Demonstrators later moved the protest through the afternoon to the Hero Monument area in Menteng, Central Jakarta, around 3:00 p.m. WIB.
Key demands raised by the coalition included declaring the forest fires a national disaster, pursuing legal action against corporations responsible for the blazes, restoring damaged ecosystems, and improving economic governance to narrow social inequality. Furthermore, they demanded an end to shrinking civil space and militarization, the eradication of corruption, collusion, and nepotism, as well as lower higher education costs. Their rally concluded around 6:30 p.m. WIB.
Demonstration at the Yogyakarta regional parliament
In Yogyakarta, students from various campuses protested outside the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) Building of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The demonstration involved students from several universities, including Gadjah Mada University, the Islamic University of Indonesia, and the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, focusing their demands on evaluating two years of the Prabowo-Gibran leadership.
The student demonstration turned chaotic and was marked by clashes after negotiations between faction leaders in the Yogyakarta DPRD and protest representatives hit a deadlock. Demonstrators dressed in black attempted to force their way into the DPRD building compound to voice their grievances. However, hundreds of police officers and local resident groups blocked the crowd from entering.
A group that arrived following the multi-campus student rallies that afternoon also unfurled banners reading "Yogyakarta Fights Back." They presented several demands to the Prabowo-Gibran administration, urging immediate handling of forest and land fires, an evaluation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, and guarantees for free public education.
Rallies in other regions
Demonstrations marking two years of the Prabowo-Gibran administration occurred simultaneously in other major cities. University students across Bandung, West Java, and Makassar, South Sulawesi, demanded that the central government evaluate its flagship programs while pressing for greater seriousness in addressing forest fires and their widespread impacts.
In Makassar, protests centered along Andi Pangeran Pettarani Street. Demonstrators gathered and delivered speeches along the thoroughfare, which serves as one of Makassar's main vehicular arteries. Parallel actions also took place at several other points across the city.
Meanwhile, in Bandung, student rallies took place outside the West Java DPRD building, along Asia Afrika Street, and around the Simpang Lima area. Protesters similarly called on the government to evaluate current economic conditions and various ongoing public policies.
Government response
The Presidential Communication Office responded to the wave of nationwide demonstrations that took place on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The head of the Communication Office, Syahganda Nainggolan, stated that the government appreciates the public aspirations expressed through the protests.
According to Syahganda, the administration continues working to improve its overall performance. He urged students to communicate their demands in an orderly manner. "We appreciate all student demands. All aspirations should be conveyed peacefully," Syahganda said.