Thousands of university students across Indonesia are staging fresh demonstrations on Friday, August 29, following the death of an online motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police tactical vehicle during a chaotic protest outside the Parliament complex the previous day.
The Indonesian Student Executive Board Alliance (BEM SI) has called for a nationwide protest, condemning what they described as brutal and unlawful police actions. In a statement shared on social media, the group declared: “We are taking to the streets not only to reject harmful policies, but also to resist the face of state violence.”
Today’s rally in Jakarta is centered at the National Police Headquarters in South Jakarta at 1 p.m., with simultaneous protests planned outside regional police commands across the country. In Bandung, activists are gathering at the West Java DPRD building, while Surabaya will see a solidarity march at Grahadi State Building.
At the University of Indonesia (UI), student leaders urged broad participation in what they termed the #AparatKeparat action. They are demanding accountability from the National Police for the death of Affan Kurniawan, a 20-year-old driver who was killed when a Brimob armored vehicle plowed through demonstrators in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta, on Thursday night.
“An institution that should protect has turned into an executioner in uniform, crushing the dignity of civilians,” UI’s student council said in a statement, as reported by Tempo.
The Deadly Incident on August 28
The violence erupted late on Thursday, August 28, after a full day of labor and student demonstrations outside the DPR/MPR complex in Senayan. Initially peaceful, the protest turned violent when some participants threw projectiles and burned tires, prompting police to fire tear gas and deploy water cannons.
The worst moment came when a Brimob tactical vehicle sped through a crowd near Benhil II apartments in Pejompongan, hitting and running over Kurniawan, who fell onto the road. Eyewitnesses told Tempo the vehicle did not stop, despite people’s attempts to block it. Viral footage shows demonstrators screaming as the armored truck continued forward while the victim lay motionless.
Kurniawan was rushed to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital but was later pronounced dead. His death sparked widespread outrage both online and offline.
National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo publicly apologized, expressing condolences to the victim’s family and the ride-hailing driver community. Seven Brimob officers who were inside the vehicle at the time have since been detained by the police’s internal affairs division.
“We will take transparent legal action,” said Jakarta Police Chief Irjen Asep Edi Suheri, as reported by TribunNews.
Ride-hailing giant GoTo Gojek Tokopedia also issued a statement mourning the tragedy, calling it “a deeply concerning incident” and pledging support to the victim’s family.
Unrest Spreads Overnight
The deadly incident triggered unrest well into the night. Clashes spread from the Parliament area to Pasar Senen and Kwitang, where crowds vandalized and burned several parked cars outside the Brimob headquarters. Around eight civilian vehicles were set ablaze in the early hours of Friday.
In East Jakarta, chaos continued into the morning. On Otista Street, Jatinegara, hundreds of residents—mostly youths—clashed with police, throwing stones and burning tires. Traffic in the area was paralyzed. The situation escalated when demonstrators briefly abducted a traffic police officer before he was later rescued.
“The officer was held but we managed to secure him safely,” said East Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Alfian Nurrizal, who confirmed the unrest had been contained by mid-morning, as reported by Merdeka.
Students Push for Justice
Friday’s coordinated actions by BEM SI, UI, and allied student groups are framed not only as a continuation of the “Indonesia Cemas 2025” protest movement but also as a direct response to Thursday’s tragedy. Protesters are pressing for nine ongoing demands, including asset confiscation laws, rejection of military dual functions, and human rights accountability, while adding new calls for a full investigation into Kurniawan’s death and an end to excessive police force.
“If left unchallenged, more victims will fall,” BEM UI warned. Organizers expect at least 500 university students in Jakarta, with solidarity actions growing in other cities, es quoted by Liputan6.
As protests intensify, public anger continues to mount against the police, who are under pressure to prove that accountability will follow. Whether today’s demonstrations remain peaceful—or spiral into further unrest—will likely determine the next stage of Indonesia’s volatile protest wave.
Source: Tempo, Liputan6, Tirto, Kontan, Kompas, SuaraSurabaya, Merdeka, Wartakota
Photo Credit: (Salman Tayibi/Jawa Pos)
