Police Brutality in Jakarta Protests (Killing of Civilians and Suppression of Democracy) has sparked nationwide outrage. On August 28, 2025, thousands of workers and students gathered in Jakarta to demand fair wages, labor reforms, and an end to lawmakers’ excessive privileges. Instead of protection, the police responded with extreme violence—deploying tear gas, water cannons, brute force, and armored vehicles. Over 150 were injured, more than 400 arrested, and one civilian was tragically killed after being run over by a Brimob vehicle.

The protest was centered on the workers’ key demands under “HOSTUM: Hapus Outsourcing, Tolak Upah Murah” (Abolish Outsourcing, Reject Low Wages):
• End unfair outsourcing – workers can spend years at a company without security, benefits, or stability. They demand outsourcing be banned for core business functions.
• Reject low wages – workers are calling for an 8.5%–10.5% wage increase in 2026, arguing that pay must keep up with inflation and economic growth.
• Tax reform for workers – raise the non-taxable income threshold to IDR 7.5 million/month and stop taxing severance pay (pesangon), holiday bonuses (THR), and old-age benefits (JHT).
• Beyond this, they also demand a halt to mass PHK (layoffs), the passage of a new RUU Ketenagakerjaan (Labor Bill), and government support for the RUU Perampasan Aset (Asset Forfeiture Bill).