"You have to reject this colonial-style bill!" Maria Catarina Sumarsih told thousands of protesters staging a rally in front of the House of Representatives complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.

At 67 years old, Sumarsih might have been the oldest person among the crowd, mostly made up of university students from various schools both inside and outside the capital.

But the scenes outside the House would have been familiar to Sumarsih; her son, Atma Jaya University student BR Norma Irmawan, also known as Wawan, was shot and killed while taking part in prodemocracy protests in what became known as the 1998 Semanggi Tragedy.

Over two decades later, students have once again risen up in a protest that many describe as the largest student movement since the downfall of the New Order regime, to prevent what they perceive to be the resurgence of authoritarian rule.

The last two days have seen large-scale demonstrations involving tens of thousands of university students in Jakarta and other cities across the country, including Bandung in West Java, Palembang in South Sumatra and Makassar in South Sulawesi.

The movement started online, with hashtags amplifying support for street protests such as #ReformasiDikorupsi (Reform Corrupted) and #GejayanMemanggil (Gejayan Calling) trending on Twitter over the weekend.

The People's Movement Alliance, the main umbrella group for the student protests, has outlined seven demands for both the government and the House, which include halting the passage of several problematic bills and withdrawing the Indonesian Military (TNI) from restive Papua.

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