Summary

  • Protests are taking place across Indonesia after the death of a ride-sharing driver who was hit by a police vehicle on Thursday night

  • Tear gas and water cannons are being fired at crowds gathering in the major cities of Jakarta and Surabaya

  • The capital has seen a series of demonstrations this week, with protests stemming from a number of issues - here's how we got here

  • Some of the protests have turned violent - police armed with batons and shields were seen firing smoke bombs at people to stop them from throwing stones

  • The unrest is a key test for President Prabowo Subianto, who protesters say must address a lack of jobs, low wages, high taxes and rising living costs

  1. Company of dead motorbike taxi driver expresses 'deep sorrow'published at 10:17 British Summer Time

    Backview of a motor rider with a bright green Gojek jacket with the company's logoImage source, Getty Images

    After Affan Kurniawan, a motorcycle taxi rider, was killed during protests in Jakarta on Thursday evening, his company, Gojek, released a statement, external.

    "Behind every green jacket, there's a family, prayers, and struggle. Affan Kurniawan was part of that journey, and his departure leaves a deep sorrow for all of us," the ride-hailing company said in its statement published hours ago. The company added that it would provide support to Affan's family.

    "Goodbye, Affan. Thank you for being a part of the big Gojek family."

    Gojek is one of Indonesia's biggest companies and operates a popular delivery and ride hailing app.

  2. Crowds of protesters grow at Polda Metro Jayapublished at 10:10 British Summer Time

    We've just received this images from our reporter Raja Lumbanrau on the ground at the Polda Metro Jaya (Jakarta Metropolitan Police) headquarters, where crowds of protesters are growing.

    Protesters marching in Jakarta Indonesia
    Image caption,

    Protesters gather outside the police building

    Protesters marching in Jakarta Indonesia
    Image caption,

    A banner was strung up expressing condolences to the family of Affan Kurniawan

    Yellow banner in front of a police office in Jakarta Indonesia
    Image caption,

    A flag accusing the police of "murdering" Affan Kurniawan and other victims

  3. Fresh clashes erupt between police and protesters in Jakartapublished at 09:56 British Summer Time
    Breaking

    Raja Lumbanrau
    BBC Indonesian

    Police and protesters have clashed in front of the Polda Metro Jaya (Jakarta Metropolitan Police) headquarters.

    This comes after protesters tried to block a police convoy and threw rocks at the vehicles.

    The crowd here continues to grow, with dozens of students from Pertamina University arriving.

    Earlier, the protesters had put up a banner on a nearby pedestrian bridge that read “arrest the damn officers.”

    Another banner with flowers underneath had a hashtag expressing condolences for the family of the late mortorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan.

    A woman held a yellow flag with the words accusing the police of "murdering" Affan Kurniawan and other victims.

    Yellow is the colour of mourning in Indonesian tradition.

  4. Injured protester's head was 'stepped on'published at 09:46 British Summer Time

    Riana Afifah
    BBC Indonesian

    Four victims from Thursday’s protest are being treated at Pelni Hospital in Jakarta. One of them is motorcycle taxi driver Umar Amarudin.

    His sister-in-law, Tina, said he suffered chest injuries and fractures to his neck and jaw after someone stepped on his head.

    “He had just dropped off a customer when he was grabbed and his head was stepped on,” Tina tells us.

    She could not confirm if Umar's assailant was a policeman.

    According to hospital official Abdul Aziz Purnomo of Pelni, 14 people received treatment at the hospital last night. Ten of them were discharged and advised to continue outpatient care. A 11-month baby is among the injured.

  5. Clashes between police and protesters intensifypublished at 09:39 British Summer Time

    As we've just reported, police are firing tear gas on crowds, with some protesters hurling stones back.

    Here are the latest photos from Jakarta.

    Riot police firing tear gasImage source, EPA
    Protestor wearing an orange jacket and face mask throws a rock with tear gas smoke behind himImage source, EPA
    Protestor in helmet and green jacket throws an objectImage source, Reuters
  6. Indonesia protesters storm special ops police building in Surakartapublished at 09:32 British Summer Time

    Fajar Sodiq
    BBC Indonesian

    Around 1,000 online motorcycle taxi drivers have stormed a special ops police building in the Javanese city of Surakarta.

    They were protesting the death of a colleague, Affan Kurniawan, who was run over by a special ops armoured vehicle at a protest in the capital Jakarta on Thursday evening.

    The drivers initially gathered and marched on foot to the headquarters to hold a prayer service for Kurniawan. After the service, tensions were high with some gathered drivers confronting police, calling them "murderers".

    As tensions escalated, protesters threw stones and bottles at police and Brimob personnel guarding the premises cand tried to forcibly enter, bnreaking down one of the doors.

    Currently, demonstrators are still at the scene, burning water barriers at the Manahan intersection.

  7. Protests spread outside Jakartapublished at 09:30 British Summer Time

    Protests have spread outside Jakarta, according to BBC Indonesian's monitoring.

    In Jawa Barat, around three hours drive west of the capital, protesters have gathered around a bonfire and marched to a government building.

    in Surakarta, around six hours east of Jakarta, a protest march has also begun.

    Back in Jakarta, students are preparing to march to the national police headquarters.

  8. Tear gas fired at protest for motor taxi riderpublished at 09:13 British Summer Time

    We are getting more details from BBC Indonesia's Faisal Irfani, who reported earlier that tear gas has been fired at protesters outside the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Central Jakarta.

    Faisal says he heard "dozens" of tear gas being fired in a span of 15 minutes.

    Stay with us as we bring you more updates from the ground.

  9. Police use tear gas on crowds in Jakartapublished at 09:05 British Summer Time
    Breaking

    Faisal Irfani
    BBC Indonesian

    I am in Kwitang, where protesters were dispersed with tear gas fired from inside the Brimob police headquarters.

    The crowd then scattered, trying to find safety.

    Around me, protesters show signs of difficulty of breathing and coughing.

  10. Watch: Hundreds gather to protest after death of motorcycle taxi driverpublished at 08:47 British Summer Time

    We've just received this drone footage from Ilham Apriyanto which shows hundreds of protesters as they walk along the streets of Jakarta.

    Media caption,

    Thousands of online motorcycle taxi drivers took Affan Kurniawan's body to the cemetery

  11. Bring the perpetrators to justice - protesters to policepublished at 08:32 British Summer Time

    Faisal Irfani
    BBC Indonesian

    At around 14:00 local time (08:00 BST), tensions rose as the protesters marched to the road in front of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Kwitang, Central Jakarta. Earlier, they had been blocked by the marine and army squad.

    In front of the Brimob compound, the crowd demanded the police come out and face them. They also tore down the Brimob signboard and set off firecrackers.

    “Power must never be used as a tool to oppress its own people!” said Sudarmanto, a 40-year-old motorcycle taxi rider.

    Sudarmanto said he could not forgive the police action that killed 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, a fellow driver. “Bring the perpetrators to justice! Don’t protect them!” he insisted.

    Protesters gather outside a police station in central Jakarta IndonesiaImage source, BBC/Faisal Irfani
  12. Prabowo to Indonesians: Trust the governmentpublished at 08:09 British Summer Time

    More on Prabowo's statement, which also addressed the protesters' demand for jobs and high wages, and their opposition to MPs perks.

    Prabowo spoke in Indonesian and appealed to people to trust the government.

    "In this situation, I urge all citizens to remain calm and trust the government I lead. The government I lead will do its best for our people. All public complaints will be recorded and followed up."

    "Our nation is rebuilding itself. We are gathering all our energy, strength, and resources to rise and build a strong country, a prosperous country, and a nation that overcomes poverty and hunger. We will become an advanced nation. We will become self-reliant, standing on our own feet. We will become an industrial nation that is not inferior to others."

    "Legitimate aspirations can be expressed. We will improve all that needs improvement. That is my message."

  13. President Prabowo 'shocked and disappointed' by 'excessive' police forcepublished at 08:02 British Summer Time

    We have just heard from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who has apologised to the family of the motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police car at the height of protests last night.

    Prabowo said he was "shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers" and that he has ordered an investigation into the incident.

    "If it is found that they acted outside the proper rules and regulations, we will take the strictest action according to the law," he said.

    President Prabowo Subianto of IndonesiaImage source, EPA
  14. What are the protests about?published at 07:45 British Summer Time

    Since Monday, protesters have gathered outside Indonesia's parliament over a range of issues.

    At the centre of the demonstrations is a new monthly allowance for lawmakers of 50 million rupiah ($3,030;£2,250), which is almost 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital and its largest city.

    Protestors are also demanding higher wages, lower taxes and stronger anti-corruption measures.

    Today's protests are a continuation of that but are also a response to the death of a motorcycle taxi driver who was killed on Thursday after he was run over by police during violent clashes.

  15. Scenes from today's protest over death of motorcycle taxi driverpublished at 07:24 British Summer Time

    Here are images from the police Mobile Brigade headquarters in Jakarta, where motorcycle taxi drivers protested the death of their colleague in clashes between police and demonstrators.

    Man holding banner in front of police in IndonesiaImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    A young protester stands in front of a police cordon holding up a banner reading 'We want justice',

    A man wearing a face mask and motorcycle helmet is restrained by policeImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Motorcycle taxi and delivery riders turned out in numbers of protest against the death of Affan Kurniawan who was run over by a police vehicle on Thursday evening

    Motorcycle driver throws a tyre onto a pile of burning tyresImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Police and politicians - including the president Prabowo - have apologised for the death and pleaded with protesters to return home and maintain stability

  16. Funeral held for motorcycle taxi driver killed by police vehiclepublished at 07:24 British Summer Time

    Thousands of people attended the funeral service of a motorcycle taxi driver, Affan Kurniawan, who died after he was run over by a police vehicle during violent protests in the Indonesian capital on Thursday night.

    App-based motorcycle taxi drivers accompanied Affan to his final resting place while others gathered outside the police headquarters to demand justice for his death.

    The Jakarta Police Chief and politicians were also present.

    Lawmaker Rieke Dyah Pitaloka and former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan expressed hope that the case would be thoroughly investigated but also called on motorcycle taxi drivers to return home and refrain from continuing protests in order to maintain stability.

    The police chief also repeated an apology.

    Affan's grandfather thanked everyone who helped - from the scene of the incident, the hospital, up until now.

  17. Indonesian capital braces for fresh protestspublished at 07:24 British Summer Time

    Welcome to our live coverage of what's expected to be another day of large protests - mainly students and workers - in Jakarta over housing perks for politicians and cost of living issues.

    Large crowds of demonstrators are expected to gather again in the Indonesian capital this afternoon, hours after thousands clashed with police on Thursday. Tensions are high after a motorcycle taxi driver who was at the protest died after being run over a police vehicle.

    Thousands of people have attended his funeral which concluded a short while ago. Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto is among those who have apologised for his death and appealed for calm.

    Protests kicked off on Monday outside Indonesia's parliament with demonstrators demanding higher wages. Police used tear gas and a water cannon to control the crowds.

    Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates.