Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – A group of protesters once again gathered in front of the main gate of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Jakarta, on Saturday afternoon, August 30, 2025. By 01:30 PM. local time, traffic along Gatot Subroto Street, South Jakarta, had begun to clog as the crowd swelled near the parliament complex.
Tempo observed several demonstrators wearing the distinctive green jackets of online motorcycle taxi drivers, with their motorcycles parked along the roadside. Others in civilian clothes joined the crowd, keeping a watchful eye on the situation.
No speeches were delivered as of early afternoon, but the protesters stood on alert, facing the DPR building.
The protest, which began on Friday, August 29, was sparked by the death of 21-year-old driver Affan Kurniawan, who was fatally run over by a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) tactical vehicle the previous day.
From Friday night into early Saturday, demonstrators remained camped in front of the DPR. Around 05:00 AM, many began dispersing, leaving only a few dozen still gathered near the gates.
At about 06:00 AM, police inside the DPR compound fired several rounds of tear gas in an attempt to disperse the remaining crowd. Protesters responded by blocking the road with fallen trees and shouting toward the police lines from outside the fence. Some also hurled stones at the authorities, forcing passing vehicles to turn back.
Despite the tension, the majority of protesters left without being directly pushed back by security forces. Throughout the night, police remained behind the DPR fences and did not advance toward the demonstrators' gathering points. Fires that had earlier burned road barriers, fallen trees, and electronic ticket poles were eventually extinguished.
The protests caused property damage, including the collapse of sections of the DPR building fence and the torching of the Pejompongan toll gate nearby.
Friday's demonstrations were not limited to the DPR. Crowds also rallied at the Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kwitang and at the Jakarta Metro Police headquarters on Jenderal Sudirman Street. Outside the capital, solidarity protests erupted in Makassar, Bandung, and Yogyakarta.
In response to the incident that triggered the unrest, police have detained seven members of Brimob suspected of involvement in Affan's death. They are currently in special detention for 20 days pending an ethics trial.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2044608/protesters-flock-back-to-jakartas-dpr-main-gate-this-afternoo