Indonesian students rally in Jakarta over rising living costs, demands policy changes

Hundreds of Indonesian students rallied on Friday in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, demanding lower fuel and food prices and urging President Prabowo Subianto to roll back costly state spending programmes as economic pressures mount (Source: Photo by AP)

About 1,500 protesters tried to march to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, a key city landmark, after Friday prayers (Source: Photo by AP)

Authorities stopped many of them and also blocked streets leading to the presidential palace, where many protests often end up (Source: Photo by AP)

More than 6,000 police and soldiers were deployed there (Source: Photo by AP)

Protesters, many wearing yellow university jackets, voiced their frustration over living costs, which have risen as a result of higher fuel costs since the US launched its war against Iran (Source: Photo by AP)

Indonesia's rupiah currency has come under pressure, hitting a historic low of 18,000 rupiah to the US dollar earlier this month (Source: Photo by AP)

Protesters outlined five key demands, including cuts to what they called wasteful state spending, lower prices for fuel and staple goods, and a halt to major government programmes (Source: Photo by AP)

They also called for an end to what they described as the increasing role of the military in civilian affairs, something they view as a threat to the young democracy (Source: Photo by AP)

Friday's demonstration marks one of the largest student mobilisations since nationwide protests erupted last August, when thousands took to the streets, and clashes with security forces left at least 13 people dead (Source: Photo by AP)

Similar protests were also held in West Java's Bandung city and in Pontianak, a city on Borneo island (Source: Photo by AP)