2025 Indonesian protests

2025 Indonesian protests
#IndonesiaGelap demonstrations
Part of the post-Suharto era in Indonesia
Protesters near the National Monument, Central Jakarta
on 21 February
Date17 February 2025 (2025-02-17) – present
(3 months, 4 weeks and 2 days)
  • First phase: 17 February 2025 (2025-02-17) – 1 March 2025 (2025-03-01)
  • Second phase: 11 March 2025 (2025-03-11) – present
Location
Indonesia, with solidarity protests in the United States, Australia, and Germany
Caused by
GoalsSee demands
MethodsDemonstration
Internet activism
Student activism
Sit-in
Occupation
Vandalism
Riots
Boycotts and cancel culture
Brain drain (see #KaburAjaDulu)
StatusFirst phase

Second phase (ongoing)

  • Armed Forces Law revision passed
    by the House of Representatives.
  • Demonstrations still ongoing
Parties

Protesters:
(no centralised authority)

Student-led organizations

International support:

Lead figures

Protesters:
no centralised leadership
BEM SI:

  • Herianto
    Chairman of BEM SI

Supported by:

  • Rocky Gerung
    Indonesian activist
  • Ferry Irwandi
    Indonesian activist
Number
  • First phase: 9,722
  • Second phase: No data
  • First phase: 2,610
  • Second phase: 6,100
Casualties and losses
  • 48 injured
  • 161 arrested
  • 19 missing
  • 24 injured
18 journalists injured
3 medical officers injured
1 non-protesting civilian injured

Public and student-led anti-government demonstrations are being held throughout several cities in Indonesia. They were launched on 17 February 2025 by the All-Indonesian Students' Union (BEM SI), together with individual students' unions.

According to the central coordinator of BEM SI, Herianto, the alliance had called for protests all over the country on 17 and 18 February (cancelled at Jakarta), while they would hold the protest centrally at Jakarta on 19 (cancelled) and 20 February. The Civil Society Coalition had also called for civilians to participate in demonstrations on 21 February following Friday prayers. BEM SI projected that around 5,000 students would participate in the protests, and they also threatened further actions if the government does not react positively.

The second wave of protests began in March 2025 following the ratification of newly-revised Indonesian National Armed Forces Law, which increased the number of civilian positions that soldiers are allowed to hold, from 10 to 14. Generally, most of the protests were held in front of the building of respective legislatures (national or regional), with its participants usually having worn black clothing, marked by the burning of used tires and clashes with policemen. Protests have peaked in February and March 2025, but they began to fade since then.