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View all search resultsWith brooms in hand as symbol for change, Indonesian women join Jakarta protests
The National Commission on Human Rights was conducting an investigation into security forces' handling of the protests, commissioner Anis Hidayah told journalists on Tuesday.
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Demonstrators from the Alliance of Indonesian Women rally in front of the House of Representatives building in Jakarta on September 3, 2025. (Kompas.com/Ridho Danu Prasetyo)
H
undreds of women dressed in pink joined protests in Jakarta on Wednesday against lawmakers' perks and police brutality, brandishing brooms as a symbol of their calls for reform, while the president flew to China for a military parade.
The women carried signs with slogans such as "reform the police" and "your sweet promises cause diabetes," as well as the brooms which protest organizer the Alliance of Indonesian Women said symbolized a need to "sweep the state's dirt ... and the repressiveness of security forces."
The protests that began in Jakarta last week have rocked the world's third-largest democracy, with the demonstrations escalating nationwide after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver on Thursday night.
Rights groups say 10 people have died in the protests, which have also sparked some looting and rioting.
The Alliance, a coalition of women-led civil society groups, had called off a planned protest on Monday citing the risk of a violent response by authorities.
"We want to show that protests are mostly peaceful," said 30-year-old Rizky Ananda, who was demonstrating against violence against people, and women in particular, as well as wasteful government spending.
"If the government said protests were treasonous, it should be questionable."
President Prabowo Subianto has said the military and police would stand firm against violence, and said on Sunday that some of the unrest bore the signs of terrorism and treason.
Prabowo was making a trip to China to attend a lavish military parade on Wednesday after initially cancelling due to the unrest, with his office saying that signs of normalcy returning in Indonesia were a factor in his decision to travel.
The National Commission on Human Rights was conducting an investigation into security forces' handling of the protests, commissioner Anis Hidayah told journalists on Tuesday.
The United Nations' rights office called on Monday for investigations into "all alleged violations of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force".
