Three-Finger Salute at Bali’s Kamisan Protest

Hundreds of participants at the 75th Bali Kamisan protest raised the three-finger salute. They voiced a range of concerns, from forest and land fires to the high cost of living.

“Let us raise three fingers, as our friends in Jakarta and other cities have done,” protest speaker Farel Manurung said on Thursday, 29 October 2026.

The protest was held that afternoon at the Catur Muka Statue in Dangin Puri Kauh, North Denpasar, as the site sees heavy passing foot traffic.

The crowd gathered at the junction north-west of Puputan Badung Field included not only university students but also workers and housewives.

Diena, one of the participants, said she had been moved to join after seeing a call for the Bali Kamisan protest on social media the previous day.

“I came on my own because I wanted to join others who also feel that the cost of living is getting higher, taxes are high, but salaries remain the same,” she said.

The three-finger gesture displayed by protesters represents solidarity, resistance to authoritarian power and the struggle for freedom. It was inspired by the film The Hunger Games.

Hundreds of passing motorists were also invited to honk their horns as a sign that they shared the protesters’ concerns. Some passengers on motorbikes were also seen raising three fingers.

At the end of the protest, Farel read out a statement on behalf of the demonstrators addressing national and regional issues.

At national level, protesters called for forest and land fires in Kalimantan, Sumatra and several parts of Java to be declared a national disaster. They also demanded that companies involved in the fires be brought to justice.

On regional matters, they issued a stern warning to Bali Governor Wayan Koster over his promise to increase the provincial minimum wage.

“Yesterday Governor Koster told us to give him time. Here, I am issuing an ultimatum: by 7am on 1 November 2026 at the latest, we must have a decision on the provincial minimum wage,” Farel said.