‘Trapped in burning building’: Indonesia protests turn violent; 3 killed in blaze during stir

Protesters set ablaze a council building in Makassar, Indonesia (Source: X/@IndoPopBase)

At least three people were killed after protesters set ablaze a council building in Makassar, eastern Indonesia, officials said on Saturday.The nationwide unrest spread following the death of a young motorcycle taxi driver hit by a police vehicle. “From last night’s incident, three people died. Two at the scene and one at the hospital. They were trapped in the burning building,” Makassar city council secretary Rahmat Mappatoba told AFP. He accused protesters of storming and torching the office. The unrest was triggered by the death of 21-year-old driver Affan Kurniawan, who was run over and killed by an armoured police vehicle near Jakarta’s parliament on Thursday evening. Demonstrations had originally been fuelled by anger over unemployment, rising living costs, and lawmakers’ new housing allowance package, which critics say is around 10 times higher than Jakarta’s monthly minimum wage of 50 million rupiahs (£2,254). His death ignited fury, with protests spreading across cities by Friday. In Jakarta, hundreds marched towards the headquarters of the elite Mobile Brigade anti-riot police. Some tried to storm the compound, prompting police to fire tear gas. Protesters retaliated by torching a police post and several cars nearby.Indonesian President Subianto Prabowo issued public apologies. “I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers,” Prabowo said, promising accountability. Violent clashes between stone-pelting demonstrators and police erupted in several Indonesian cities, including Surabaya, Solo, Yogyakarta, Medan, Makassar, Manado, Bandung and Manokwari in Papua’s easternmost region.