Hundreds of students took to the streets across Indonesia on Tuesday, October 20, putting President Prabowo Subianto under renewed pressure as he completed two years in office. Demonstrations in Jakarta and several other cities highlighted growing public anger over the government’s handling of economic hardship and the environmental crisis.

According to Reuters, authorities deployed around 9,000 police officers in Jakarta to manage the demonstrations. Protests were also reported in the Indonesian cities of Yogyakarta, Bandung, Pekanbaru and Makassar, with clashes between demonstrators and police in Yogyakarta.

Why did the students protest?

The students took to streets primarily to protest rising living costs, devastating forest fires and alleged corruption. Students and civil society groups are demanding stronger action on issues that directly affect their livelihoods and future.

According to Reuters, students from the University of Indonesia cited the forest fires and a sharp stock market decline, alongside the weakening rupiah, as signs of the economy’s vulnerability.

Their key demands include:

• Lower living costs: Protesters are demanding measures to ease household financial pressures and improve access to essential services, including education and healthcare
• Action against forest fires: Demonstrators have called for the government to declare the fires a national disaster and hold companies responsible for environmental damage accountable
• Action against corruption: Protesters are demanding stronger action against corruption, collusion and nepotism, alongside greater protection for freedom of expression.

The agitators also flagged concerns over President Prabowo’s spending priorities, particularly his flagship free meals programme, amid rising living costs. In June, students protested against a fuel price increase and called for a rethink of the scheme, citing concerns over the cost of government spending.

Forest fires, toxic haze fuel public anger

The forest fire crisis has emerged as a major trigger for the latest protests. Fires across parts of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua have generated toxic haze, disrupted transport and forced schools to close in affected areas. Smoke has also spread to neighbouring countries, including Singapore and Malaysia.

The fires have been worsened by dry conditions associated with El Niño, while the burning of peatlands has made the crisis harder to contain. Environmental groups have also raised concerns about forest clearance for palm oil plantations and the need to hold companies accountable.

A day before the protests, President Prabowo directed officials to intensify aerial firefighting operations and improve coordination among security forces, forestry authorities and local communities. Indonesian authorities are also investigating 98 reports linked to forest and land fires.

Greenpeace Indonesia activists climbed Jakarta’s Welcome Monument on Tuesday and displayed a banner calling for action on the climate crisis and lower living costs, highlighting how environmental concerns and economic pressures have converged in the protests.

Indonesia’s earlier protests

In August 2026, demonstrators gathered to mark a year since the anti-government protests of 2025. The rallies were followed by unrest in Jakarta, where more than 300 people were detained, according to Reuters.

Indonesia witnessed nationwide protests in 2025 after a motorcycle ride-hailing driver died after being struck by an armoured police vehicle during demonstrations in Jakarta. The unrest claimed additional lives and fuelled calls for police accountability.

The latest demonstrations come as Prabowo’s approval rating faces pressure. Reuters reported that Prabowo’s approval rating fell to 44.5 per cent in October, down from 81.2 per cent in November 2025.