October 24th 2026 The agony of liberal Europe Culture, history & society Asia | Politics of the street # Indonesia’s experiment with populism is wavering ## How will Prabowo Subianto respond to crashing approval ratings?

Oct 20th 2026|JAKARTA|5 min read H AFIDZ HERNANDA was riding down a quiet street in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, close to midnight on October 4th when another motorcyclist kicked his bike, knocking him to the ground. Two more men joined the attack as the assailant beat Mr Hafidz and threatened to kill him. Afterwards they took his phone and bag, robbery seemingly an afterthought. The police say they are investigating, but no suspects have been identified.

The assault was notable because Mr Hafidz has become one of the highest-profile organisers against President Prabowo Subianto, leading two protests by students against his policies earlier this year. On the night of the assault he was riding back to his home near the University of Indonesia from a meeting with other student activists at a roadside eatery. There, they had been planning a demonstration against Mr Prabowo on October 20th, the second anniversary of his inauguration. Already have an account?

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