More than 300 people were arrested, and dozens of suspects were identified after street demonstrations spiralled into late-night rioting in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, officials said on 28th August.

Various groups started demonstrating on Thursday near parliament on the anniversary of deadly anti-government protests last year, which went on for two weeks, providing an early test to President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, which is expected to be tough on demonstrations.

Police in Jakarta mobilised thousands of troops ahead of Thursday’s rallies, during which protesters expressed their anger over a number of government policies and called for tougher sentences for corrupt officials.

The rally scattered on Thursday evening, but people in black shirts continued to be on the streets well into the night, setting fire to a police post and two motorcycles, blocking the roads and throwing rocks and sticks at officers, who then fired water cannons and tear gas.

There were several loud bangs heard near the site of the reported violence, according to a Reuters witness.

Jakarta police have arrested 322 people, including 160 under the age of 18, Budi Hermanto, a spokesman for the police in the Indonesian capital, told a news conference.

After most of the crowd fled, a group of rioters entered and attempted to cause a disturbance, and police attempted to maintain public order and security, Budi said, noting some of those groups were said to have brought makeshift weapons with them.

One man was taken away unconscious and subsequently died at a hospital, Budi added.

Police were “collecting facts” about the death during the briefing, another official, Iman Imanuddin, said.

In addition, 45 individuals are suspected of damaging public facilities and acts of violence, Iman added.

Several routes on the ​commuter rail line in Jakarta ​were suspended or ⁠diverted on Friday, while the city’s bus system said its routes near the parliamentary building were impacted by road closures. Since then, the affected bus routes are back on normal service, the operator said.

The protest came at a ​difficult time for ⁠Prabowo, a retired general who was elected in 2024 with a huge majority but is battling to restore the confidence of the public, business and investors anxious over the economic impacts of his ambitious, ⁠populist programmes.

Prabowo’s ​approval rating slumped to 38% this month in a ​poll by investigative news outlet Tempo.

Videos posted early on Friday and seen on social media, which Reuters was unable to immediately verify, showed police firing tear gas at the protesters — some standing behind shields.