Indonesia deploys hundreds of security staff ahead of Jakarta student protests
Hundreds of Indonesian security personnel were deployed on Wednesday in anticipation of student protests against several of President Prabowo Subianto’s policies, as well as his government’s handling of forest fires. Students from the University of Indonesia said they were set to stage protests in several spots in the capital Jakarta. They are calling on the government to declare the ongoing…
Indonesian authorities have dispatched a large number of security personnel in preparation for student protests against President Prabowo Subianto's policies and the government's management of forest fires, according to <source 6b44c52e-aaf>. University of Indonesia students are planning demonstrations in multiple locations within Jakarta, urging the government to declare the ongoing wildfires in Sumatra and Borneo a national disaster and to stop funding populist initiatives like Prabowo's free meals program.
The protests are expected to be labeled with the hashtag #IndonesiaAware. It remains uncertain how many students will participate. On Wednesday, numerous security forces, armored vehicles, and police were observed in central Jakarta. Protests have also taken place in areas affected by haze in Borneo and Sumatra, such as one in Central Kalimantan last week.
President Prabowo's popularity has been declining since the end of last year, as indicated by surveys conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting. Indonesia last witnessed a significant protest in August, when hundreds were arrested, and students organized demonstrations last week. In 2025, nationwide protests erupted following the police shooting of a motorcycle taxi driver, resulting in several fatalities during the unrest.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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