Jakarta protests lawmaker homes escalated over the weekend when mobs stormed residences of lawmakers and the finance minister. Demonstrations began last week after outrage over a Rp 50 million monthly housing allowance for parliament members. Anger deepened after Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old motorcycle driver, died when a police tactical vehicle struck him during Thursday night’s unrest. Officials have not confirmed whether he joined the protest or was caught in the area by chance.
Crowds soon targeted specific politicians. On Saturday, demonstrators stormed the house of Ahmad Sahroni, a NasDem Party lawmaker who had called online critics “the most ignorant people in the world.” Viral videos showed looters carrying off furniture, electronics, luxury watches, and even a life-size action figure. Social media users claimed Sahroni had left the country a day earlier, though no evidence supports that claim.
Netizens also spread addresses of Surya “Uya Kuya” Utama, Eko “Patrio” Hendro Purnomo, and Nafa Urbach. Uya and Eko, both PAN lawmakers and former entertainers, angered the public after footage showed them dancing during a plenary session while citizens struggled with economic hardship. Nafa, a former musician turned NasDem politician, fueled resentment by defending the housing allowance. All three issued apologies in video messages on Saturday night, but those failed to calm the unrest.
That evening, protesters forced their way into Uya’s home in Duren Sawit and Eko’s residence in South Jakarta. Antara reported people fleeing with sofas and electronics. Police said they arrested nine suspects linked to the looting. Hours later, Nafa’s home in South Tangerang was raided. Around the same time, crowds stormed Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati’s residence in Bintaro. Videos showed people carrying furniture and paintings from the house. A neighbor confirmed she was away.
Sri Mulyani drew criticism for recent remarks questioning whether the state budget should cover all teacher salaries. Viral clips also appeared to show her calling teachers a “national burden,” though she denied making the comment and said the videos were deepfakes. The backlash nonetheless added fuel to the protests.
By Sunday morning, none of the targeted officials had spoken publicly about the looting. Police promised tighter security, but the damage revealed the scale of public anger. The Jakarta protests lawmaker homes unrest reflects deep frustration with political elites, economic hardship, and police brutality that continues to inflame tensions in the capital.
