On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Greenpeace Indonesia activists scaled the Welcome Monument at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta, unfurling giant banners demanding urgent climate action and relief from soaring living costs. The high-profile demonstration coincided with the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka taking office, drawing immediate security response.
Activists Scale Jakarta Landmark on Presidential Anniversary
The early morning protest at the Bundaran HI roundabout featured two activists wearing climbing harnesses and helmets who rappelled down the Selamat Datang monument. They held spherical signs bearing the slogan “No Progress Without Protest,” while crowds and cameras gathered below. Two massive banners faced opposite directions across the capital’s central business district. One message read, “Take Action on the Climate Crisis, Bring Down the Cost of Living,” while the other asked, “Disasters are Getting Worse, the People are Struggling, What is the Government Doing?”
As the demonstration unfolded, joint apparatus consisting of the police, firefighters, and Satpol PP arrived at the location around 08.00 WIB. Security personnel warned that scaling the monument posed a safety risk, with some officers even swimming across the surrounding pool to deliver appeals from below. Officers eventually lowered the banners, used rescue ropes to evacuate activists defending themselves from the heights, and escorted at least eight participants to the Jakarta Police station for questioning.
Did You Know? The protest coincided with the release of a Greenpeace Indonesia study titled Besok Harga Naik! Gambaran Dampak Krisis Iklim dari Tempat Kerja, Meja Makan, dan Rumah, which examined communities across Greater Jakarta, the Bandung Basin, and Greater Yogyakarta. The research found that food consumption and costs accounted for 41 percent of reported climate impacts, with productivity and income following closely at 39 percent.
Official Reactions and Economic Realities Behind the Protests
DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung addressed the demonstration, stating that he respected the aspirations of the activists as part of democratic life, but stressed that public order must be maintained. Meanwhile, Greenpeace campaign representatives questioned government claims of economic growth reaching 5.45 percent in the first half of 2026. Atha Rasyadi, head of Greenpeace Indonesia’s Social and Economic Campaign, argued that economic growth primarily enriches a handful of people through the exploitation of nature while ordinary communities bear the impacts.
Jeanny Sirait, a climate justice campaigner with the organization, noted that extreme weather and ecological disasters are directly disrupting livelihoods, suppressing incomes, and driving up food prices. The research data indicates that 57.34 percent of surveyed respondents cut non-essential consumption to cope, while 56.79 percent took on side jobs or started new businesses to supplement their income.
Expert Insight: The timing of the Jakarta demonstration highlights sentiments running high around food prices, air pollution, and the climate crisis.
Campaigners demand transition away from fossil fuels amid worsening climate impacts
Protesters maintained that millions of Indonesians are facing worsening climate impacts, ranging from flash floods and El Niño-charged droughts to prolonged transboundary haze. Campaigners continue to urge both corporations and the government to accelerate a just global energy transition away from fossil fuels, which remain the primary driver of climate breakdown.
Activists target anniversary to protest food prices and climate crisis
Why did the Greenpeace activists choose October 20 for the protest?
The demonstration was staged to mark the two-year anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka taking office, a time when public sentiments regarding food prices, air pollution, and the climate crisis are running high.
How did authorities respond to the monument climb?
Joint teams of police, military personnel, firefighters, and Satpol PP arrived at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout to secure the area, urging activists to come down due to safety risks. Officers eventually removed the banners, evacuated activists using rescue ropes, and brought at least eight participants to the Jakarta Police station for questioning.
What specific economic pressures did Greenpeace highlight during the action?
Greenpeace cited study findings showing that food costs account for 41 percent of reported climate impacts on households, with declining productivity and income accounting for another 39 percent. The data showed that over 57 percent of respondents cut non-essential spending, and nearly 57 percent took on side jobs to cope with financial strain.
How might the Prabowo-Gibran administration adjust its environmental policies in response to ongoing public demonstrations and household economic pressures?
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