Driver killed by armored police vehicle sparks protests in Indonesia

Thousands of Indonesians took to the streets this week and protests spilled into violent clashes across the archipelago after a 21 year old motorcycle delivery driver was struck and killed by an armoured police vehicle in Jakarta on Thursday, prompting President Prabowo Subianto to call for calm, apologize to the victim's family and order a transparent investigation. Demonstrations over lawmakers' generous allowances and broader cost of living grievances spread to cities including Makassar, Bandung and Surabaya, where local authorities reported buildings torched, people injured and several deaths.

The driver, identified by authorities as Affan Kurniawan, was hit as police moved to disperse a crowd near the national parliament, the capital's police chief said. Video of the collision circulated widely on social media and prompted an outcry. The police chief offered condolences and national police officials announced seven members of the Mobile Brigade unit tied to the vehicle had been detained for questioning. "I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers," President Prabowo said in a televised message, adding he had ordered a thorough probe and that...