Jakarta. Protesters in Jakarta ransacked the home of lawmaker Ahmad Sahroni on Saturday as violent unrest over parliamentary perks and public discontent with lawmakers continued to grip the Indonesian capital and beyond.

Sahroni was not present when hundreds of protesters stormed his residence in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. Demonstrators destroyed an electric car parked in the garage and looted valuables, including luxury bags, a large safe, a television, and even fitness equipment. Viral videos on social media showed looters wheeling away a safe through a narrow alley, while others displayed Sahroni’s diploma, a life-sized Iron Man statue, and other personal belongings.

The MP, a senior member of the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), has long drawn criticism for his flamboyant lifestyle. He is known as chair of Indonesia’s Ferrari Owners Club and has served three consecutive terms in parliament since first being elected in 2014.

Sahroni’s earlier comments inflamed public anger, particularly his August 2 remark labeling those calling for parliament’s dissolution as “the stupidest persons in the world.” He further stoked tensions when he dismissed demonstrators as “thugs” after rallies outside the legislature turned violent. Amid mounting backlash, Nasdem recently removed him from his position as deputy chair of the House legal affairs commission.

The attack on Sahroni’s home came amid a wave of unrest that began August 25 with protests against lawmakers’ controversial pay and benefits. Labor unions later staged separate rallies with their own demands, all of which ended in clashes with riot police.

Tensions escalated sharply on Thursday after 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan was killed when struck by a police armored vehicle deployed to control protests. Since then, violence has spread across Jakarta and other cities, with protesters torching police stations, government vehicles, and public infrastructure.

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