Rising living costs, forest fires: Indonesia sees mass protest as students take to the streets

The protests took place across cities such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Pekanbaru and Makassar as President Prabowo Subianto marks two years in office. As youth-led protests continue to erupt across the world, Indonesia has also joined in on the list. Hundreds of students took to the streets on Tuesday to raise their concerns regarding the rising costs of living, frequent forest fires and corruption.Demonstrators take part in a protest against the government's handling of wildfires and calling for an end to corruption, collusion and nepotism, marking two years of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration, in Jakarta, Indonesia (REUTERS)The protests on Tuesday took place across cities such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Pekanbaru and Makassar. These demonstrations also come as Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto marks two years in office.Also Read | From Spain to Albania, anger over economic pressures spills onto streets across EuropeMass protest in Jakarta calls for govt actionIn Jakarta, university students gathered around the Tugu Tani monument (Heroes monument) to call for action on the Subianto government's handling of forest fires and rising living costs. The fires, which are a frequent recurring in Indonesia, have generated toxic haze, disrupted flights, closed schools and raised public health concerns.A protester hangs a banner on the Hero Monument, popularly known as Tugu Tani, during a demonstration against the government's handling of wildfires and calling for an end to corruption, collusion and nepotism. (REUTERS)According to The Jakarta Post, the forest fires in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua are caused by a dry season amid El Niño. The haze has also started to spread to neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. Furthermore, discontent has also grown due to the land clearing of forests for palm oil plantations.A day before the demonstrations, a meeting was held at Merdeka Palace to discuss speeding up efforts against the fires.In a post on X, Presidential Chief of Staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the President had told authorities to strengthen aerial operations and improve coordination among the armed forces, the National Police, the National Disaster Management Agency, local governments and communities.Also Read | Targeted curfews, protest bans: France steps up security after worst riots in years; 2,400 arrestedAlong with the protest at Tugu Tani, Greenpeace activists also climbed the Welcome Monument at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to protest the government's failure to curb the persistent wildfires in the country.Greenpeace Indonesia activists hanging from the Welcome Statue at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout hold protest signs in Jakarta on October 20, 2026. (AFP)One banner carried the message - “Take Action on the Climate Crisis, Bring Down the Cost of Living.” According to Jeanny Sirait, a campaigner for the NGO, at least six activists were detained by the police.According to a Reuters report, over 9,000 police officers have been deployed in Jakarta to handle protests in the Indonesian capital.Effigies of Subianto admin burntSeveral videos from the Indonesian capital show instances of arson during the protests on Tuesday. In a video posted on social media, a police truck was set on fire amid the demonstrations. HT, however, was unable to verify the video.In another instance, a demonstrator was seen setting effigies of President Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka on fire during the protest in Jakarta.A demonstrator sets effigies on fire during a protest against the government's handling of wildfires and calling for an end to corruption and nepotism (REUTERS)Indonesia's last major protest took place in August, when hundreds were detained. Before this, nationwide protests also occurred in 2025 after the police killing of a motorcycle taxi driver. The clashes recorded last year also resulted in several people being killed.Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Based in New Delhi, Danita serves as a pivotal voice in international reportage in the team. Operating under the mandate of delivering "without the noise", Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into lucid, objective narratives which prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism. In HT, Danita has been recognised for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India crash, which has driven over 2 million users to the website through trusted, factual coverage of the incident. Thriving in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also cultivated a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border policy. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years diving deep into the coverage of international relations and global conflicts. She has previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, covering a wide range of beats and topics, from education curricula and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan wars. Danita earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi. Beyond the newsroom and her love for international relations, you'll find Danita 'geeking' out over books, music and BTS. Her appreciation for global pop culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the "soft power" dynamics that increasingly have shaped international relations in the ever-changing global order.Read MoreIndonesiaProtestForest FireSouth East AsiaGet the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.