JAKARTA, Indonesia — Security forces flooded the streets of the Indonesian capital on Wednesday as authorities braced for a wave of student-led demonstrations targeting President Prabowo Subianto's policy framework and his administration's response to ongoing environmental crises.
Hundreds of police officers, military personnel, and armored response vehicles were stationed at key intersections across central Jakarta during Wednesday morning's commute.
Student organizers from the University of Indonesia announced plans to rally across several prominent sites in the capital under the banner #IndonesiaAware. Their core demands call on the central government to officially declare widespread forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo a national disaster and to halt government spending on costly populist initiatives, including President Prabowo’s signature free meal program.
Surging Unrest and Falling Public Approval
Wednesday’s planned action follows a series of demonstrations in haze-impacted regions across Central Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Borneo.
The student push comes as independent pollster Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) reports a steady decline in President Prabowo’s approval ratings two years into his presidency.
Indonesia has experienced heightened civil tension over the past year. In 2025, mass nationwide demonstrations erupted following the fatal police shooting of a motorcycle taxi driver, resulting in several casualties during weeks of unrest. More recently, hundreds of protesters were detained during major demonstrations in August, with student groups organizing smaller follow-up rallies last week.
