Indonesia’s Omnibus Law: Jakarta MRT partly shut as third day of protests turn violent
- Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons after angry demonstrators in the capital set fires to tyres, road barriers and even bus stops
- Meanwhile, some high-profile demonstrators reported facing cyberattacks on their personal social media and messaging accounts
Clashes between rock-throwing protesters and riot police broke out near Jakarta’s presidential palace, where thousands of workers and high school and university students marched.
An angry mob burned a traffic police post at an intersection near the palace, while other protesters set fires to tyres, road barriers and even bus stops. Protesters blocked a toll road in West Java and set fire to a cafe in Yogyakarta province, media reported.
About 1,000 protesters have been detained in Jakarta and more than 100 others arrested in other cities, according to police spokespeople. At least two students have been hospitalised with head injuries, and six police officers hurt.
“This is our struggle for our children and grandchildren, and our future generations ... If it’s like this our well-being will drop, and we will lack job certainty,” said Maulana Syarif, 45, who has worked at Astra Honda motors for 25 years.
“I feel a responsibility to the Indonesian people,” said another demonstrator, IT student Arawinda Kartika, as she marched toward the palace. “I feel sorry for labourers working day and night without sufficient wages or power.”