Armored Vehicle Collision Kills Driver, Sparks Intense Protests in Indonesia

Protests have erupted once again in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, following the death of a motorcyclist. Affan Kurniawan, a driver for Gojek and Grab, was killed when he was hit by an armored police vehicle. The incident occurred on Thursday during a demonstration in front of the Parliament building demanding relief from the rising cost of living and the cancellation of allowances for political elites.

Following the incident, on Friday, fellow motorcyclists of the deceased gathered in front of the Jakarta Mobile Brigade Corps office to protest. At the same time, students called for demonstrations in front of the capital’s police headquarters.

President Prabowo Subianto expressed deep sorrow and ordered an investigation. In a video message, he said, “I am shocked and saddened. A transparent investigation must be conducted against the responsible officials, and the perpetrators must be held accountable.”

Local media reported that the protests continued until Thursday night, prompting riot police to use tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse the crowd. During this, Kurniawan was killed by the impact of an armored vehicle. However, the victim’s family and driver organizations claim that he was not participating in the protest.

Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri stated at a press conference, “We deeply regret this incident. It is a tragic accident.”

Recently, thousands of people across various Indonesian cities have taken to the streets. Their main demands include higher wages for workers, reduced taxes, and the cancellation of newly announced monthly housing allowances for parliament members. These allowances are nearly 20 times higher than the minimum wage in some regions, causing widespread public anger.