Student protests demanding policy reforms spread to Central Java

A wave of student demonstrations swept across Indonesia on Friday, June 12, 2026, with protests occurring in Central Java cities such as Surakarta (Solo) and Semarang, extending beyond the capital, Jakarta.

In Solo, hundreds of students representing various universities under the Alliance of Solo Raya Student Executive Boards (BEM) gathered before the Surakarta City Council building. Their demands ranged from a critical review of the government's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to the complete repeal of recent revisions to the Indonesian National Police (Polri) Law. Students voiced concerns about the Indonesian economy, citing weak public purchasing power and significant pressure on the national currency, the rupiah.

"We demand that the government evaluate large-budget programs and prioritize economic recovery," stated Arif Ainurjaya, a participant in the Solo protest. The demonstrators also expressed alarm over the rupiah's depreciation against the US dollar, calling for swift government intervention to stabilize the currency. Furthermore, they strongly rejected the revised Polri Law, arguing it could potentially curtail civil liberties and grant excessive authority to the police. They urged a thorough review of this legislation.

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We demand that the government evaluate large-budget programs and prioritize economic recovery.

Surakarta City Council leaders engaged with the protesters, with Council Speaker Budi Prasetyo assuring that their demands would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities. A brief moment of tension arose from rumors of detentions, but police spokesperson Adjunct Commissioner Lingga Ramadhani clarified that no arrests had been made, and the situation de-escalated. Approximately 490 joint personnel were deployed to manage the protest, which concluded peacefully.

Simultaneously, in Semarang, hundreds of students assembled in front of the Central Java Governor’s Office and the Regional House of Representatives. Diponegoro University Student Executive Board chair Nur Maajid criticized the government's performance amidst escalating economic pressures. "The economic crisis is looming. What is the government waiting for to act?" Maajid questioned, pointing to rising government debt and the rupiah's weakening value, which reportedly reached Rp18,201 per US dollar on June 8, 2026. Their demands echoed those in Solo, including a review of the MBG program, lower fuel prices, reform of civil-military-police relations, and stronger measures for currency stabilization. Maajid warned of further protests if the government remained unresponsive.

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The economic crisis is looming. What is the government waiting for to act?