At least three people were killed when a council building in the city of Makassar, , was set on fire by protesters angry at the on Thursday.
In Makassar, the biggest city on Indonesia’s central Sulawesi island, furious demonstrators torched vehicles and hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails, setting a local council building ablaze.
What do we know about the deadly fire?
Three people – one civil servant and two council staff members – perished after being trapped in the burning building while at least four others were injured.
“This is beyond our prediction,” council secretary Rahmat Mappatoba told the French AFP news agency.
“Usually during a demonstration, protesters only threw rocks or burn a tire in front of the office. They’ve never stormed into the building or burned it.”
In footage posted by local media, hundreds of people were seen clapping and cheering as the building was engulfed in flames with few security forces in sight.
“There are people upstairs!” one man could be heard shouting.
Indonesia: Protests continue in Jakarta
Meanwhile, in the capital , hundreds of people gathered outside the headquarters of the Mobile Brigade Corp (Brimob), the notorious paramilitary police unit blamed for the death of motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kuniawan on Thursday.
In chaotic scenes, one group of protesters pulled a sign from the building’s facade and attempted to break down the gate. Local media reported isolated looting and damage to several transportation facilities in the city.
Earlier in the week, the elite police brigade, which is known for its heavy-handed tactics, had deployed tear gas to disperse demonstrators who had been protesting against low wages and perceived lavish perks for lawmakers, culminating in Kuniawan’s death.
Police said they had detained seven officers for questioning in connection with the fatality.
President promised an investigation and urged calm as he visited the family of the deceased driver on Friday night.
“I have ordered last night’s incident to be thoroughly and transparently investigated, and that the officers involved be held accountable,” he said in a statement.
He also said that the government was “committed to guaranteeing the livelihood” of the driver’s family, posting images with them at their home.
The crisis is being seen as a first major test for , who took office in October last year.
He has pledged rapid, state-driven growth but has already faced protests for widespread government budget cuts to fund populist policies which include a billion-dollar free meal scheme.
Edited by: Rana Taha
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