Dozens Arrested in Surabaya Protests Against Prabowo Policies

Kathmandu. An अधिकार समूह (rights group) said on Saturday that police arrested dozens of protesters during rallies and demonstrations against President Prabowo Subianto's policies in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city.

Earlier, about 100 people gathered near the government building in Surabaya on Friday to protest the fuel price hike and Prabowo's flagship free meal plan, AFP reported.

It is reported that police officers arrested some protesters after they started throwing stones at the police and setting fire to government structures. FP reported that 24 protesters were arrested, quoting Fatkul Khoir, coordinator of the rights group Kontras Surabaya.

Surabaya Police Chief Luthfi Sulistiawan said that arrests were made after the situation could not be controlled even when the authorities used force to push back the protesters.

It is reported that protests have occurred in many cities in Indonesia this month as Prabowo's administration increased fuel prices by about 30 percent, seeking to reduce pressure due to the Middle East war disrupting global oil supplies.

It is reported that thousands of students took to the streets in the capital, Jakarta, demanding a halt to the fuel price hike and the multi-billion dollar free meal plan.

This initiative, although a cornerstone of Prabowo's political agenda, has been partially postponed after receiving widespread criticism for being impractical and linked to mass food poisoning.