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Bio
Since February 2025, public and student-led anti-government demonstrations have been held throughout several cities in Indonesia. The first wave of protests were launched on 17 February 2025 by the All-Indonesian Students' Union (BEM SI), together with individual students' unions. According to the central coordinator of BEM SI, Herianto, the alliance had called for protests all over the country on 17 and 18 February (cancelled at Jakarta), while they would hold the protest centrally at Jakarta on 19 (cancelled) and 20 February. The Civil Society Coalition had also called for civilians to participate in demonstrations on 21 February following Friday prayers. BEM SI projected that around 5,000 students would participate in the protests, and they also threatened further actions if the government does not react positively. The second wave of protests began in March 2025 following the ratification of the newly revised Indonesian National Armed Forces Law, which increased the number of civilian positions that soldiers are allowed to hold, from 10 to 14. Generally, most of the protests were held in front of the buildings of respective legislatures (national or regional), with its participants usually having worn black clothing, marked by the burning of used tires and clashes with policemen. Protests peaked in February and March 2025, but they began to fade since then. Starting from Pati Regency, Central Java, a third wave of protests erupted around August 10–13, triggered by a proposed 250% increase in land and building taxes (PBB‑P2). The unrest quickly grew, drawing up to 100,000 protesters, with dozens injured. On 25 August, thousands, including students, workers, and activists, marched to the national parliament building in Jakarta, protesting against exorbitant allowances for lawmakers. After an online motorcycle taxi (Indonesian: ojek online) driver was run over by security officers with an armoured vehicle, protesters grew angry. It was the first recorded fatality during the six-month-long protest. In retaliation, the demonstrators attacked two security officers who were near the location, leaving them lying on the road covered in blood. After protesters started getting aggressive, the military became involved to protect malls from looting. Protesters torched and looted the House of Representatives members' houses, including that of Ahmad Sahroni.