Antara, Jakarta – Thousands of workers from various labor unions began to fill the area around the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Thursday, May 1, 2025, to commemorate International Labor Day or May Day.

The workers arrived in groups from various directions, on buses, motorcycles, and some on foot. They wore their respective organization's attributes, with some wearing white shirts printed with "May Day 2025."

Sutisna, a worker from Bekasi, said that his group arrived at the square at around 7:00 a.m. local time. "We boarded a bus from Bekasi to commemorate Labor Day," he said.

He mentioned that this year's May Day celebration felt special because President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to come. "Hopefully the president can be more supportive of us, the laborers," said Sutisna.

The Jakarta Metro Police deployed 13,252 joint personnel to safeguard the event. The personnel consisted of 9,591 police officers, 3,385 military personnel, and 276 personnel from local government agencies.

The 2025 May Day event is centered around Monas and is estimated to draw about 200,000 workers from Greater Jakarta and the surrounding regions. During their rally, the workers will convey six demands, including the enactment of the Draft Law on Job Creation, the application of a national decent wage, and the enforcement of the law against corruption.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2002404/may-day-in-jakarta-thousands-of-workers-gather-at-mona