Empowered Women Make Their Voices Heard in Indonesia: Protests Ignite

Tue Oct 21 2025 06:37:14 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant display of unity, hundreds of women in Indonesia took to the streets wielding brooms as they protested against police violence and wasteful government spending, raising awareness of vital social issues.

Hundreds of women marched in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, donning pink and carrying broomsticks to symbolize their demand for change. Their protest against police abuses and lavish government spending has sparked outrage, especially following the tragic death of a young motorcycle taxi driver. As protests continue to unfold, President Prabowo Subianto faces mounting pressure to respond to growing public discontent over various issues, including the high cost of living.

Hundreds of women wearing pink and wielding broomsticks marched to parliament in Indonesia's capital on Wednesday to protest against police abuses and wasteful government spending.

Protests in Jakarta and other key cities have stretched into their second week, fueled by anger over cost of living issues and lavish perks for MPs.

They turned violent after young motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan was killed when he was run over by a police vehicle.

As protests intensified, President Prabowo Subianto said he would cancel a trip to Beijing to attend China's massive military parade, but he was seen posing for a group photo on Wednesday alongside Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Before his China trip, Prabowo said over the weekend that he would roll back perks for lawmakers - one of the core complaints of the protesters.

During Wednesday's rally, pink-clad female protesters from the Indonesian Women's Alliance (IWA) said the broomsticks symbolized their desire to sweep away the dirt of the state, militarism and police repression.

The protesters also waved signs with the words reform the police. Protests are not crimes, but rather democratic rights inherent in every citizen, one of the protesters, Mutiara Ika, told BBC Indonesia.

The IWA is a political group comprised of 90 women's organizations and movements, as well as various civil society groups. The women demonstrated not only for immediate changes but also to address long-standing issues of governance and accountability.

The ongoing demonstrations have prompted calls from human rights organizations for transparency and accountability in the government's response.

As Indonesia faces divisions over governance policies, the future remains uncertain as the voices of these empowered women continue to heat up the streets.