Indonesia police fire tear gas near campuses as protest tensions rise

The protests began in the capital Jakarta, targeting government spending such as enhanced perks for lawmakers, and have since spread nationwide. They escalated into rioting and looting after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver, causing millions of dollars of damage in the capital.

Authorities fired tear gas into crowds near the campuses of the Islamic University of Bandung, or UNISBA, and nearby Pasundan University, more than 140 km (87 miles) from Jakarta, student groups at the two institutions said on Instagram.

Pasundan student Yoga Tadiyalaga Ruchiyat said students were angry over the incident.

"The educational ground is neutral, a safe zone," he said.

University students have long been regarded as vanguards of Indonesia's democracy, having taken a leading role in protests that helped topple authoritarian leader President Suharto in 1998.

Police official Hendra Rochmawan said authorities did not enter the campuses but tried to break up crowds of non-student protesters seeking protection within the grounds, as crowds blocked roads in the area.

UNISBA Rector Harits Nu'man echoed the police statement, saying the campus served as a medical hub for protesters.

The UNISBA student body accused security forces of seeking to silence dissent, saying they "brutally attacked" the campus with tear gas.

President Prabowo Subianto, a military leader under Suharto, met labour unions, some of whom joined last week's protest for a hike in the minimum wage, and said he told lawmakers to discuss labour laws, according to a statement from his office.

The head of the Indonesia Trade Union Confederation, Said Iqbal, told a press conference he had informed Prabowo of workers' demands, such as an end to cheap labour, job outsourcing and income-tax cuts.

Prabowo has warned the police and military would stand firm against violent escalations. Jakarta police say they have detained over 1,200 people since the protests broke out, with city officials reporting $3.4 million in damage.

At least eight people have died in the protests, senior minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Monday.

Analysts say the protests test Prabowo's young presidency, which nears its first anniversary in October.

Growing inequality among Indonesians contributed to the rising protests, said Achmad Sukarsono, associate director at consultancy Control Risks, citing a recent allowance for lawmakers that stoked public resentment.

"The growing gap between the rich and poor in Indonesia provides an easily combustible dry-hay situation. Policies that fail to consider social sensitivities like the perks for parliamentarians then turn into matchsticks," he said.

International rights groups have criticised the security response.

"The Indonesian authorities acted irresponsibly by treating the protests as acts of treason or terrorism," said Meenakshi Ganguly, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch.

The United Nations' rights office called for accusations of rights violations by security forces to be investigated.

Jakarta police said they had arrested the director of non-profit legal aid group Lokataru Foundation, Delpedro Marhaen, over accusations of inciting a riot among underage children.

The group did not immediately respond to a request for comment but it has said the arrest was unlawful.

Indonesians added pink and green hues to their pictures in profiles on social media in response to the protests, with some using the hashtag #ResetIndonesia and listing 25 demands for the government, including the end of police brutality and ensuring decent wages for the public.