Students Flood the Streets — Jakarta Erupts in Protest

Multiple raised fists in a show of solidarity during a protest

Indonesian students are flooding the streets of Jakarta, demanding that President Prabowo Subianto answer for rising costs, a scandal-hit free meals program, and spending that critics say rewards elites while ordinary citizens struggle.

Story Snapshot

Thousands of students have marched on Indonesia’s parliament building in Jakarta across multiple waves of protest in 2025 and 2026.
Protesters targeted President Prabowo’s flagship free school meals program, citing food poisoning incidents and mismanagement allegations.
Budget cuts to education and lavish spending on parliament members fueled anger over the government’s spending priorities.
Police deployed in large numbers, using tear gas and water cannons as protests caused an estimated $3.4 million in damages in Jakarta alone.

Students Take to the Streets Across Indonesia

Thousands of students, workers, and activists marched to Indonesia’s national parliament building in Jakarta on August 25, 2025, angry about the rising cost of living and what they called misguided government spending. The protests did not stop there. Demonstrations broke out in multiple waves — from February through October — making this one of the most sustained periods of student unrest Indonesia has seen in years. Protesters carried banners reading “Indonesia Gelap,” which means “Dark Indonesia,” signaling deep frustration with the direction of the country.

Student groups were direct about their grievances. The Alliance of Student Executive Bodies, known by its Indonesian acronym BEM SI, said public anger was not caused by the protests themselves. The group stated that “corruption, politicized legislation, distorted history, and state policies that disregard the populace” were to blame. Protesters also called out government-funded perks for parliament members while everyday Indonesians faced higher fuel prices and shrinking budgets for schools.

Free Meals Program at the Center of the Storm

President Prabowo’s free school meals program was supposed to fight poverty and malnutrition among Indonesian children. Instead, it became a flashpoint. Reports emerged that thousands of students suffered food poisoning linked to the program. Allegations of corruption inside the program also surfaced, and Prabowo fired the program’s director amid a graft investigation. Critics say the program shows exactly what is wrong — a big-ticket government promise that was poorly managed and lacked proper oversight from the start.

The government argues the program still serves an important purpose and that removing a corrupt official shows accountability. But protesters were not satisfied. They called for a full review of how the program is run, who benefits, and where the money goes. No public audit or independent health investigation has been released to settle the question of how widespread the food safety failures were or who bears responsibility for them.

Economy Adds Fuel to the Fire

Indonesia’s economy gave protesters more ammunition. The Indonesian rupiah became Asia’s worst-performing currency in 2026. Foreign investors pulled money out of the country, and both stocks and the currency fell sharply. Students pointed to austerity-driven budget cuts, including reductions to education spending, as proof that the government was protecting elite interests while cutting services that ordinary people depend on.

Protest Rocks Jakarta Over Prabowo Government Policies

Hundreds of Indonesian students rallied in the capital, Jakarta, protesting President Prabowo Subianto’s government policies, including state spending priorities and economic measures, according to reports and local… pic.twitter.com/nQFR9ImYRF

— The CBIJ (@TheCBIJ) June 12, 2026

To be fair, some of the economic pain came from outside Indonesia’s borders. Global market forces, investor sentiment, and commodity prices all played a role. But the government has not released a detailed, line-by-line defense of its budget choices to counter the protesters’ claims. That silence makes it easier for critics to argue the government is hiding something. With protests causing $3.4 million in damages in Jakarta alone and police deploying tear gas and water cannons against demonstrators, Indonesia’s political and economic stability faces a real test. The Prabowo administration will need more than broad justifications to restore public trust.