• Activists are slated to hold an anti-government protest outside the State Palace in Jakarta at 13:30 (local time) on December 19.
• The protest is being held to oppose the government’s decision to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 12 percent in 2025.

1. Participation at the slated protest is likely to range in the low-to-mid hundreds, considering the wider resonance over the issue and participation recorded earlier in similar protests in the city. Participation will likely bolster if labor unions, such as the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI), join the protest. This is given the KSPI’s reported intent to hold a nationwide strike over the issue in the coming days. The authorities are liable to bolster security measures in the vicinity of the State Palace given the sensitivity of the location as well as part of the standard security protocol. These measures will include the deployment of additional police personnel and the setting up of barricades to monitor the proceedings.
2. There exists a risk of scuffles between the police and protesters, should the latter attempt to engage in unruly behavior like attempting to remove the barricades, enter the premises of State Palace, or block major thoroughfares. In such cases, the police are expected to employ forcible dispersal measures, such as temporary detentions and baton charges. Localized pedestrian and vehicular travel disruptions are anticipated in the vicinity of the State Place due to the expected turnout and related security measures on December 19.

Those operating or residing in Jakarta on December 19 are advised to maintain vigilance in the vicinity of the State Palace due to the slated protest and associated risk of scuffles while allotting for localized travel disruptions.