After Lighting Flares, Labour Protesters Begin to Disperse from Parliament Building While Singing “Buruh Tani”

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The crowd at the May Day 2026 labour demonstration in front of the main gate of the House of Representatives Building in Senayan, Jakarta, began to disperse gradually on Friday (1/5/2026) afternoon, after lighting flares. Kompas.com observations around 17.50 WIB showed the crowd moving away from the location towards Jalan Gerbang Pemuda while compactly singing the song “Buruh Tani” to accompany their steps home. Around the row of command vehicles, the orations that had been ongoing since noon were heard to have stopped. Several field coordinators were seen directing the crowd to leave the location in an orderly manner. Meanwhile, the flags that had previously been hoisted high were still carried by the protest participants, with some continuing to wave them throughout the journey out. The red light that had illuminated the crowd began to fade as the use of flares decreased. Several protest participants were still seen capturing the final moments before completely leaving the DPR area. Police personnel remained on guard along the road and monitored the crowd’s dispersal process. The police were seen standing in a loose formation while ensuring the situation remained conducive until the protest participants left the location. On the side of the road, rubbish such as drink bottles and leaflet papers were scattered, reflecting the intensity of the demonstration activities since noon. By 18.00 WIB, the majority of the crowd from various labour alliances had left the location. Several residents were still seen in the area to take photos and observe the post-demonstration situation. After the crowd dispersed, traffic flow on Jalan Gatot Subroto, which had previously been closed for security purposes during the demonstration, began to be reopened.