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Jakarta. A protest outside the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, escalated into clashes with police on Thursday afternoon, forcing authorities to divert traffic from the city’s main toll road.

The demonstrations began with a labor rally that ended peacefully around noon. Soon after, hundreds of students from various universities marched toward the parliament building, carrying banners and campus flags while chanting slogans.

Earlier this week, protests outside the DPR descended into chaos on Monday after demonstrators rejected a proposed hike in lawmakers’ allowances. Police fired tear gas and deployed water cannons to disperse the crowd, detaining 312 protesters, including 205 minors. Thursday’s protest also targeted the allowance plan.

Tensions rose when students set off firecrackers and hurled Molotov cocktails at security forces. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and tactical vehicles to disperse the crowd. Protesters initially held their ground but eventually retreated, with some spilling onto the Jakarta Inner-City Toll Road.

As the crowd moved onto the toll road, state-owned operator Jasa Marga, in coordination with police, implemented traffic diversions to protect motorists.

“By police discretion, the Cawang–Tomang–Pluit Toll Road has been temporarily diverted,” said Ginanjar Rakhmanto, senior manager at Jasa Marga’s Metropolitan Tollroad office. “Vehicles from Cawang were turned around at KM 08+100 and KM 09+600, while those from Slipi were redirected at KM 12+400.”

Since 2:50 p.m., traffic heading from Cawang to Slipi was ordered to exit at the Semanggi off-ramp or make a U-turn. By 3 p.m., as protesters surged onto the toll road, further diversions were enforced.

Jasa Marga apologized for the disruption and urged motorists to avoid the Senayan and Semanggi sections until the situation stabilizes.

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