Smoke on the Streets, Names in the Headlines

The protests filled Jakarta’s streets (and some other cities in Indonesia) with smoke and shouting, and headlines worldwide repeated a familiar set of words. Some were visceral: tear gas, riot police, set fire. Others carried political weight: Prabowo Subianto, parliament building. And one name stood out: Affan Kurniawan, a motorcycle taxi driver and delivery rider whose story became shorthand for the struggles of low-wage transport workers.

Across the coverage, journalists relied on a small set of recurring phrases to frame the story. Nearly 40 percent of repeated bigrams emphasized police, security, and violence, signaling the dominant lens through which the unrest was reported.

Over 20 percent focused on the president and political institutions, highlighting the national stakes of the demonstrations. Meanwhile, economic grievances and human-centered narratives appeared less often but persisted, providing context beneath the clashes and headlines.

A Human Face in the Crowd

Among all the recurring phrases, Affan Kurniawan emerged as the single human figure most frequently mentioned, appearing 64 times. Descriptors such as “taxi driver” (70 mentions), “delivery rider” (36), and “ride hailing” (26) all link back to him, showing how journalists used his story to personalize the broader labor struggle.

Affan’s visibility in coverage illustrates a common journalistic practice: using an individual as a representative of a larger population. In this case, he symbolizes millions of low-wage transport workers whose livelihoods are precarious, yet whose experiences resonate with readers. While policy debates inside parliament may fade from memory, readers are likely to remember Affan.

Political Power and Institutions

The protests were framed not only through individual stories but also through connections to national authority. Mentions of “Prabowo Subianto” (81) and “President Prabowo” (72) linked the street demonstrations directly to the country’s most prominent political figure. Institutional references, including “parliament building” (41), “council building” (50), and “house representatives” (30), were also common.

Together, these terms accounted for more than a fifth of bigram mentions, illustrating how coverage consistently positioned the protests as a test of legitimacy for both leaders and state institutions. By repeatedly invoking these figures and locations, journalists reinforced the stakes of the demonstrations, framing them as movements challenging political authority.

Security and Violence

The most frequent bigram, “tear gas” (99 mentions), exemplifies how the protests were portrayed through a lens of force. Other common security-related terms included “riot police” (65), “police vehicle” (54), “mobile brigade” (47), “armored vehicle” (33), “tactical vehicle” (32), and “police officers” (23). Phrases indicating violence, such as “set fire” (56) and “three killed” (28), further illustrate the escalation reported in some stories.

Coverage clearly emphasized confrontation, often highlighting dramatic incidents over discussions of policy or economic conditions. Tear gas and armored vehicles made for vivid, photographable stories, showing the visible manifestations of state power rather than the root causes driving protestors into the streets.

Economic Grievances

While security dominated, economic concerns remained a consistent thread. Bigrams such as “housing allowance” (46), “minimum wage” (41), and “low wages” (27) together accounted for 114 mentions, or roughly nine percent of all bigrams. These terms reflect the material conditions fueling the protests.

Although less frequently highlighted than security incidents, these phrases underscore the structural issues behind the unrest. By grounding the human story in economic terms, journalists connected individual struggles, like Affan’s, to broader societal challenges. The inclusion of these bigrams ensures that readers perceive the protests not only as clashes with authorities but also as expressions of deeper social and financial pressures.

Media and Communication

Digital platforms played a significant role in shaping coverage. The bigram “social media” appeared 69 times, highlighting its dual role as a reporting tool and an amplifier of protest narratives. Videos of tear gas deployments, and footage showing Affan Kurniawan being hit and run over by an armored vehicle, spread widely, influencing both domestic and international perceptions of the demonstrations.

Journalists’ repeated acknowledgment of social media suggests its importance in modern reporting: platforms are no longer mere channels but active participants in how events are framed and remembered. Coverage, therefore, reflects not only physical actions on the streets but also the digital environment that shapes public understanding.

Closing

Weeks after the protests, the specific wage debates or parliamentary discussions may fade, but certain images and names will endure: Affan Kurniawan, the taxi driver hit and run over during the demonstrations; tear gas drifting over streets; armored vehicles outside political buildings; and the president’s name repeated in headlines. Words and repeated phrases define what is remembered, showing the power of language in shaping the public record of protest.

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