Pro-Government Militias Emerge as Indonesian Protests Turn Deadly

In Jakarta, protests against corruption escalated into violence when police deployed tear gas and water cannons, and groups wearing white headbands and carrying bamboo sticks attacked civilians, killing a 60-year-old vendor. The emergence of these pro-presidential thugs on the streets signals a decline in public support for President Prabowo Subianto. The unrest highlights growing political instability as rivals begin to challenge his leadership.

The protest began peacefully outside Jakarta's parliament complex before some demonstrators set fires and attempted to breach the grounds. Police deployed tear gas and water cannons as darkness fell, pushing unrest into the Slipi neighborhood, where trucks arrived carrying men in white headbands armed with bamboo sticks. The killing of Bambang Setiawan, a 60-year-old vendor, occurred as he tried to shutter his shop during the chaos.

GRIB Jaya, the organization linked to the attacks, is led by Hercules, a Timor-Leste native who served in Indonesian militias during the occupation and has publicly credited Prabowo with saving his life. The group claims it was present to preserve order and denies responsibility for the assaults. The violence coincides with Prabowo's approval rating collapsing from 75 percent in December to 37 percent in August, driven by public frustration over inflation and scarce employment.