Indonesian students are set to rally outside the national parliament in Jakarta on Thursday, pressing for an independent investigation into police violence and decrying lavish benefits for lawmakers as living costs bite. At least 10 people have died, more than 1,000 were injured, and over 3,000 have been detained during a nationwide crackdown, while the government has yet to follow through on a proposed meeting with student leaders.

Demands And Organizers

The BEM SI student coalition says “the people’s anxiety isn’t due to protests on the street, but it’s due to corruption and the politicisation of the law.” Ten student unions met lawmakers on Wednesday and asked for an independent inquiry into police conduct; a promised follow-up meeting with the government had not materialised by Thursday, organizers said. Labor group Gebrak plans to join the demonstration, calling for detainees’ release.

Casualties, Arrests And Rights Concerns

Rights groups report at least 10 deaths and over 1,000 injuries linked to rioting and clashes after a police vehicle fatally struck a motorcycle taxi driver, igniting wider anger. Human Rights Watch says more than 3,000 people have been detained in a nationwide sweep and urges authorities to end excessive force and arbitrary detentions.

Government Response And Policing

President Prabowo Subianto has stated that the military and police would stand firm against violent mobs, asserting that elements of the unrest show signs of terrorism and treason. Separately, an officer involved in the fatal vehicle incident was dismissed as protests continued.

What’s Driving The Anger

The demonstrations began over reports of enhanced perks and housing allowances for lawmakers, then broadened into a wider venting of frustration over inequality and living costs. Protesters frame the movement as a push for accountability and social justice rather than a threat to public order.

Regional Solidarity Adds Pressure

Sympathy actions spread across Southeast Asia, with people ordering meals for Indonesian motorcycle taxi and delivery drivers caught up in the turmoil—turning riders into symbols of the protests’ economic grievances.