Fact Check: Viral Videos Show Old Footage, Not Jakarta Protesters

Viral videos circulating on social media claim to show bus convoys transporting protesters from various regions to Jakarta for a demonstration at the Indonesian Parliament (DPR) on August 27, 2026. However, a fact-check by Tempo has revealed these claims to be misleading.

Tempo verified the content using Google reverse image searches and cross-referenced the clips with credible sources. The investigation found that the circulating videos consist of older footage from entirely different events. One clip, for instance, was identified as part of the "Night On The Road Yogyakarta 2026" event hosted by a bus enthusiast community during mid-Ramadan. Another video, showing a bus convoy escorted by police, was found to be promotional material for a bus transportation service uploaded in December 2024.

Further analysis uncovered that other clips were documented in November 2025, February 2026, and May 2026, showing convoys near tourist destinations or operated by specific transport companies. A video claimed to show a crowd traveling from Banyuwangi to Jakarta via Situbondo was also debunked; it was actually footage of a 150-bus religious pilgrimage recorded in January 2026.

While it is true that residents gathered to protest in Jakarta on August 27, 2026, Tempo's verification concluded that the widely shared videos do not depict demonstrators traveling to this specific event. The footage has been repurposed and presented out of context to create a false narrative.