Pink-clad women lead Jakarta march as protests escalate over police abuses, spending

Hundreds of women dressed in pink and carrying broomsticks marched towards Indonesia’s parliament on Wednesday, joining swelling nationwide protests against police brutality and government extravagance.

The demonstration, part of a second week of unrest across Jakarta and other key cities, highlighted rising public anger over soaring living costs and lavish perks enjoyed by members of parliament.

Tensions boiled over following the death of 24-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan, who was fatally struck by a police vehicle during an earlier protest. His death has become a rallying point for demonstrators, many of whom accuse the authorities of heavy-handed tactics.

Protesters in the capital chanted slogans calling for accountability and swept the streets in front of parliament with their broomsticks, a symbolic act aimed at “cleaning up” corruption and abuse of power.

As the unrest intensified, President Prabowo Subianto announced he would cancel a planned trip to Beijing for China’s massive military parade.

However, photographs released Wednesday showed him standing alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, fuelling criticism that the president was downplaying the domestic crisis.

Observers warn the protests could expand further if the government fails to respond to public grievances.

Analysts note that the combination of economic discontent and anger over perceived elite privilege has created one of the most volatile political moments of Prabowo’s presidency.