Crowd Unrest in Malioboro Subsides, Situation Now Calm

A mass demonstration that briefly turned volatile along Malioboro in Yogyakarta on Wednesday night (28 October) has ended. Police said the situation in the area was gradually returning to normal.

According to detikJogja’s observations, after unrest broke out in front of the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD DIY), the crowd was pushed back with a water cannon. The demonstrators held their ground before dispersing southwards, with some held up at the Suryatmajan junction.

At nearly 9pm, police officers pushed the crowd northwards. Demonstrators retreated along Suryatmajan and Pajeksan streets.

The unrest then shifted further north, with the main concentration of clashes moving to Teteg Malioboro. Demonstrators continued throwing stones at officers from two directions, Pasar Kembang Street and Margo Utomo Street. Water cannon was deployed repeatedly and tear gas was fired.

The situation began to ease at around 11pm, and the crowd moved north. Traffic access along Malioboro remained closed, although conditions were gradually returning to normal. Police officers continued to stand guard along Malioboro and further north.

“Following the crowd’s acts of vandalism, we took steps to push them back, deploying personnel from the crowd-control unit to move them out of Malioboro,” Yogyakarta Police public relations chief Commissioner Ihsan told reporters outside the Yogyakarta DPRD on Wednesday night (28 October 2026).

“At around 10pm, we regained control of the area around Malioboro. We continued pushing the unidentified crowd towards Teteg, and then pushed them back again because they were still throwing objects,” he added.

Ihsan confirmed that police had been forced to use water cannon and tear gas to control the crowd.

“We took measured but firm action, using water cannon and other measures, because they were disrupting the railway station at Tugu,” Ihsan said.

“They were disrupting public facilities, including Tugu Station and several locations on Mangkubumi Street. That is why we took measured but firm action by firing tear gas,” he added.

Ihsan said police had eventually pushed the crowd back and confirmed that the situation in Malioboro was now calm.

“We will keep our personnel on standby here to maintain security and provide reassurance to members of the public and tourists in the Malioboro area,” he said.

Ihsan also confirmed that police had detained several people from the unidentified crowd, but said he could not yet provide a figure as they were still being recorded.

“We detained several people from the unidentified crowd, one of whom was carrying a sharp weapon. We can therefore conclude that this group was intent on committing acts of vandalism,” he said.

“Medical checks by our health unit found that most of them had consumed alcohol,” Ihsan added.

Earlier, students from various universities in Yogyakarta and members of the public had gathered at the city’s Zero Kilometre Point that afternoon. They held a demonstration to mark Youth Pledge Day on 28 October 2026.

At 5pm, detikJogja observed that demonstrators were dressed in black and carrying banners expressing demands to the government on various issues.

The demonstration in the Malioboro area turned tense after some demonstrators moved north. Several people dressed in black attempted to enter the Yogyakarta provincial DPRD building and the Governor’s Office, both guarded by police.

Some demonstrators were seen burning an object in the middle of the road, while others set off firecrackers. Shops in Malioboro had closed, and people were seen scattering along Malioboro Street.