Thousands of Yogyakarta Protesters Occupy Gejayan Intersection

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta  - Thousands of protesters gathered at the Gejayan intersection in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday, June 13, under the banner of the People's Call Alliance, voicing criticism of a range of government policies under President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Based on Tempo's observations, the crowd began occupying the busy intersection from around 2:30 p.m. local time. Participants included members of civil society groups, university students, academics, labor activists, and online motorcycle taxi drivers.

The protesters erected a stage and a command vehicle equipped with loudspeakers at the intersection, which connects several major universities, including Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta State University (UNY), Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta, and Sanata Dharma University.

Despite heavy rain, demonstrators continued to arrive throughout the afternoon. Banners highlighting concerns over Indonesia's economic and political conditions were displayed across the protest site.

The rally caused the complete closure of traffic leading to the Gejayan intersection from multiple directions.

Protesters Criticize Government Policies

Organizers said the demonstration aimed to draw attention to what they described as worsening economic conditions, shrinking democratic space, and public welfare concerns. Protesters presented 10 demands covering economic policy, governance, civil liberties, labor rights, education, and healthcare.

Among the issues raised were the government's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, the weakening rupiah, rising fuel prices, and tax burdens affecting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Representatives from various organizations took turns addressing the crowd. One of the speakers was Masduki, a professor of media and journalism at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII).

“We urge President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran to review policies that are not in the public interest,” Masduki said.

People's Call Alliance spokesperson Marsinah said civil society and democratic freedoms in Indonesia were facing increasing pressure.

“Criticism, which should be a healthy part of democracy, is often treated as a threat,” she said. “Yet democracy grows not from forced praise, but from the courage to hold power accountable.”

Alliance Presents 10 Demands

The alliance's demands included the suspension of the MBG program, which protesters said is vulnerable to corruption and lacks sufficient public oversight, and the rejection of the government's Red and White Village Cooperative initiative.

Protesters also called for the withdrawal of amendments to laws governing the military, police, prosecutors, and military justice system, arguing that the changes threaten civil liberties and democratic accountability.

The alliance further demanded stronger protections for freedom of expression, assembly, and association, as well as accountability for members of the security forces involved in violence against civilians.

Calls for Economic and Labor Reforms

Other demands included universal access to quality education and healthcare, lower prices for fuel and essential goods, and policies aimed at reducing economic inequality.

The protesters also urged the government to strengthen labor protections and end the exploitation of workers, including domestic workers, teachers, farmers, miners, factory workers, digital platform workers, and informal-sector employees.

A separate demand focused on improving protections for online motorcycle taxi drivers, including stricter enforcement of regulations governing ride-hailing companies and greater involvement of driver groups in drafting future transportation legislation.

Demands on Civil Rights and Corruption Cases

The alliance also called for the release of political prisoners and an end to the criminalization of government critics and activists.

In its final demands, the group urged the government to guarantee land, housing, and living-space rights, stop forced evictions linked to development projects, and conduct a thorough investigation into alleged corruption involving the Mandala Krida Stadium project in Yogyakarta.

The demonstration was part of a broader wave of student-led and civil society protests that took place in several Indonesian cities on Friday and Saturday, reflecting growing public criticism of a number of government policies.

Read: What Jakarta Says About CCTV Outage During Friday Protest

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