Indonesia is bracing up for more protests on Friday after a motorcycle Taxi driver was killed in clashes between the demonstrators and the police.
Following the incident, Indonesian students said they will protest at Jakarta’s police headquarters on 29 August. The head of Indonesia’s largest student union told Reuters that students will protest against police violence in the afternoon, and he expected other student groups to attend.
On 28 August, demonstrators were protesting a number of issues including lawmakers’ pay, education funding and the government’s school meals programme. As the protest persisted into the night, local media reported that riot police fired tear gas and used water cannons to try to disperse people.
Jakarta’s police chief said that during the clashes an armoured police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle rideshare driver. Local media reported that the 21-year-old victim was in the midst of delivering a food order. The police chief has expressed apologies and condolences. The seven personnel in the armoured vehicle have been arrested and an investigation is underway, as per a senior Indonesian police official.
Ride-hailing platform Gojek had put up a statement, confirming that the victim was one of its partners, saying “we will continue to support the family of the deceased…”
Following the death, a group led by motorcycle drivers protested in front of the riot police’s headquarters at night, local media reported. Kompas TV reported on 28 August that military officers were sent to the building to calm dozens of protesting drivers.
Advice: Exercise high degree of caution. Avoid protest and demonstration sites. Monitor local media and MitKat Advisory for latest security updates.
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