May Day: Thousands of Workers from Various Unions Fill Monas Area

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Thousands of workers from various unions have filled the Monas area in Central Jakarta to commemorate International Labour Day, or May Day, on Friday. Observations at the location showed that the masses had occupied the area since 08:18 WIB. Most of them gathered near the main stage on the western field of the capital’s iconic landmark. The Monas area was colourful with various protest attributes worn by the masses. Flags of each union were also hoisted, standing out prominently above the thousands of demonstrators. Despite the crowds, combined TNI-Polri personnel were stationed at several points to ensure the smooth running of the 2026 Labour Day commemoration event. In addition, traffic congestion occurred on several roads. Dozens of buses and private vehicles carrying May Day participants were escorted by Police Traffic Unit vehicles heading towards Monas. Congestion stretched from the Kwitang area to Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat. However, the masses remained enthusiastic and chose to walk. Meanwhile, President of the Indonesian Confederation of Trade Unions (KSPI) and General Chairman of the Labour Party Said Iqbal stated that President Prabowo Subianto will attend the 2026 International Labour Day celebration at Monas today, Friday. Besides Monas, some worker masses were initially planned to hold actions in front of the DPR RI building to voice their aspirations. However, that plan changed after Said directly dialogued with the head of state and the government. For the 2026 May Day commemoration, it is estimated that around 100,000 workers from various union elements will fill the Monas area. In addition to Jakarta, Labour Day actions are also being held simultaneously in 38 provinces and more than 350 cities, including Bandung, Serang, Semarang, Surabaya, Banda Aceh, Batam, Palembang, Banjarmasin, Makassar, Gorontalo, and Morowali.