Malioboro Returns to Normal After Demonstration Turns Violent

Malioboro and the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD DIY) were among the sites of unrest during a demonstration last night. On Wednesday afternoon, police personnel were still patrolling and maintaining a presence in the area.

When detikJogja visited Malioboro at around 2pm on Wednesday (11 November 2026), the atmosphere appeared to have returned to normal. Tourists were walking along the pedestrian area, while residents and traders had resumed their usual activities.

Several shops that had closed during Tuesday’s demonstration had reopened. Tourists were beginning to gather at various points along Malioboro.

However, the ATM centre that had been targeted by the crowd had yet to be repaired and remained out of operation.

Police officers were still stationed near the DPRD DIY office. Several Brimob tactical vehicles were also seen travelling along the roads in the Malioboro area.

Estu, who works at a souvenir shop in Malioboro, said the shop had closed during Tuesday’s demonstration but reopened the following day, although visitor numbers remained below normal.

“Yes, we closed yesterday because of the demonstration. We’re open today, but it is a bit quiet,” Estu said at the shop on Wednesday (11 November 2026).

Estu said the shop had not suffered any significant damage in the unrest, although the area outside had become dirty.

“There’s no damage, it’s just a bit dirty at the front,” Estu said.

Dessy, a tourist from Bandung, said she had abandoned plans to visit Malioboro during the demonstration and postponed her trip until the situation appeared calmer.

“I was actually planning to go to Malioboro yesterday, but I heard about the demonstration, so I put it off until today. I thought it was better to avoid the risk. I’m still a bit scared, but it’s been fine so far,” she said.

154 people detained

Police detained 154 people following the crowd violence at the DPRD DIY office and in the Malioboro area of Yogyakarta the previous night. They were detained on suspicion of involvement in the unrest and damage to several public facilities.

“By this morning, a total of 154 people had been detained,” Novita Eka Sari, acting head of public relations at the Yogyakarta Regional Police, told reporters on Wednesday (11 November 2026).

Novita said the unrest began at the DPRD DIY office and spread to the area around Malioboro, Tugu Pal Putih and the UGM Roundabout. She also rejected claims that officers had entered the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) campus.

“Action against rioters or perpetrators of anarchy began at the DPRD building, around Malioboro, Tugu and as far as the roundabout in front of UGM — not inside the campus — in line with the incident details provided earlier. The number detained at the roundabout in front of UGM will be reported later,” she said.

Earlier reports said an unidentified crowd had attacked the DPRD DIY office and Malioboro in Yogyakarta. Hundreds of Brimob personnel were deployed to drive the crowd out of Malioboro.

According to detikJogja’s observations, student demonstrators at the city’s kilometre-zero area gradually dispersed at around 7pm. The students had staged a protest at the governor’s office earlier that afternoon.

At the same time, however, hundreds of people arrived from the north and attacked the DPRD DIY office. At around 8pm, they pelted the building with firecrackers.

The crowd also tried to pull down the DPRD DIY’s fence. Some managed to enter the grounds, smashed the ATM centre’s windows and set several objects alight in the middle of the road.

Soon afterwards, hundreds of shield-bearing Brimob personnel appeared from Jalan Perwakilan. Tactical vehicles and a water-cannon truck followed behind them.

Brimob personnel continued to push the crowd northwards, occasionally firing the water cannon. The crowd responded by throwing stones and firecrackers at the police.

At around 8.40pm, the crowd was pushed back as far as the Teteg Malioboro post. Officers then ordered tear gas to be fired, and thick smoke soon appeared among the crowd.

The crowd continued to retreat beyond the railway crossing, and its resistance began to ease. People gathered along Malioboro to watch police drive the crowd back.