Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – A protest outside the House of Representatives (DPR) complex escalated into chaos on Monday, as demonstrators rejected a proposed increase in lawmakers' allowances. The demonstration, which began at 10:00 a.m., lasted into the evening.
Police moved to disperse the crowd after repeated warnings were ignored. Authorities detained a total of 312 protesters, including university students, members of the public, and school students, of whom 205 were minors. The detainees were transported in two tactical vehicles to Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters for further questioning.
Preliminary police data indicate that adult protesters will face legal proceedings, while minors will receive guidance and warnings before being released to their families or schools.
As of Monday night, Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri and Director of General Criminal Investigation Wira Satya Triputra had not issued an official statement. Both officials were reportedly still evaluating the security measures taken during the unrest
Police urged the public to express grievances in an orderly manner, without disrupting traffic or damaging public property. Authorities said the strict measures were taken solely to maintain public order and safety.
On Monday, thousands had gathered around the DPR complex. Security forces were on high alert, and the gates were reportedly smeared with oil. Demonstrators, including students and members of the public, raised a range of demands – from rejecting the allowance hike to calls for the dissolution of the DPR and the removal of DPR Speaker Puan Maharani.
The protest, which began with speeches and rallies in the morning, escalated into clashes with police in the late afternoon and continued into the night.