Indonesia detains 154 after violent protests

Indonesian police detained more than 150 people after protesters clashed with security forces in Yogyakarta city southeast of the capital overnight, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The violence followed demonstrations across several Indonesian cities on Tuesday over the government’s management of the economy, its handling of devastating wildfires and stagnant wages.

Around 100 people gathered near Yogyakarta’s parliament around 8:00 pm (1300 GMT), aiming firecrackers and hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails toward the building, police said in a statement Wednesday.

Authorities responded by deploying tactical vehicles to disperse the crowd. Police said they seized evidence including six Molotov cocktails and 12 firecrackers.

An AFP reporter saw police fire tear gas and water cannon as officers moved to disperse the protesters late Tuesday.

Yogyakarta police spokeswoman Novita Eka Sari said 154 people had been detained in connection with the unrest.

• Lagos, Ogun residents groan as blackout worsens heat
• Community protests alleged substandard road project, threatens election boycott
• Portuguese police clash with housing protesters, arrest 13

National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto, who inspected the scene early Wednesday, pledged a thorough investigation into the incident.

“We will investigate whether… there were efforts to deliberately cause damage, whether there were other objectives,” Suyudi said.

Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of people gathered near the governor’s office in Yogyakarta, calling for higher minimum wages. That crowd cleared out before the violence later in the day.

In Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, protesters also took to the streets, citing issues including wildfires and rising food prices.

AFP

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.