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View all search resultsTen remain in detention after violent anti-government protest in Surabaya
As tensions escalated, some demonstrators threw bottles, stones and firecrackers, while others dismantled a metal barricade on the eastern side of the Grahadi State Building and hurled it into the government compound, according to police.
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Police arrest a student during a protest on June 26, 2026 against the rise in nonsubsidized fuel prices, inefficient government spending, the military's involvement in civilian affairs and the free nutritious meal program in Surabaya, East Java. (AFP/Juni Kriswanto)
T
he Surabaya Police in East Java have named four people as suspects after protests against the government's flagship programs and economic policies turned violent on Friday.
Surabaya Police chief Sr. Comr. Luthfie Sulistiawan said the suspects allegedly hurled Molotov cocktails, firecrackers and stones at police officers and government buildings during the demonstration.
"The four have been named suspects for vandalism and assaulting police officers. The offenses carry a maximum prison sentence of five years," Luthfie said on Sunday.
Luthfie said police arrested 24 people in the aftermath of Friday's protest. Fourteen were later released after investigators found insufficient evidence to pursue charges, although the investigation is continuing.
In addition to the four suspects, six protesters remain in police custody after urine tests returned positive for methamphetamine.
"We are coordinating with the National Narcotics Agency [BNN] to determine whether the narcotics case is connected to the protest," Luthfie said.
Read also: Academics rally behind student protests, reject politicization
Zaldi Maulana of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said the rights group is providing legal assistance to all protesters detained by the Surabaya Police, including those who have since been released but remain subject to mandatory reporting requirements.
"We will continue to provide legal assistance until everyone who was detained has been released from the legal process," Zaldi said.
He said legal representation remains critical amid allegations that police used excessive force while arresting demonstrators.
"We have received reports that protesters were subjected to brutal violence during the arrests," Zaldi said.
The allegations were further supported by videos circulating on social media that appear to show police using excessive force while dispersing the crowd. Several protesters who were later released also sustained multiple injuries that they allege were inflicted by officers during the arrests.
Kontras said it was continuing to collect firsthand accounts from demonstrators to corroborate the allegations and strengthen its report.
Hundreds of university students and members of the public gathered outside the Grahadi State Building, the official residence of the East Java governor, in Surabaya on Friday as part of the #DyingIndonesia movement.
The protesters urged President Prabowo Subianto's administration to curb rising living costs by lowering food and fuel prices and to scrap several flagship programs, including the free nutritious meals program and the Red and White Cooperatives initiative. They argued that the programs place an excessive burden on the state budget and divert funding from more pressing public needs.
They also demanded that the government revoke the recently enacted police and military laws, which critics say expand the powers and authority of the security forces while weakening civilian oversight and democratic safeguards.
The demonstration turned violent in the evening after no representatives from the East Java administration met with the protesters.
As tensions escalated, some demonstrators threw bottles, stones and firecrackers, while others dismantled a metal barricade on the eastern side of the Grahadi State Building and hurled it into the government compound, according to police.
Read also: More student protests against costly programs, fuel price hikes
East Java Deputy Governor Emil Elestianto Dardak praised security personnel for containing the unrest, saying their response prevented the violence from spreading beyond the protest site.
"We are here with the provincial secretary to express our appreciation, and Governor Khofifah also extends her gratitude to all security personnel who worked extraordinarily," Emil said after police dispersed the crowd on Friday night.
The Surabaya rally was part of a broader wave of student-led demonstrations held across Indonesia in recent days. Protesters in multiple cities have voiced similar demands over the government's economic policies and legislative agenda. (nal)
