Academia
When a government outsources repression to street militias, it isn't preserving order; it is waging a reckless, authoritarian war against its own people.
Riot police are deployed outside the Senayan Legislative Complex in Central Jakarta on Aug. 27, 2026, during a protest against government policies that also called for harsher penalties against corrupters. (Reuters/Claudio Pramana)
Late into the night on Aug. 27 and stretching into the early hours of Aug. 28, a chillingly familiar scene unfolded on the streets of Jakarta: A mob wearing white headbands and armed with makeshift weapons, including bamboo poles, moved in with force to violently scatter an ongoing demonstration. The protesters had assembled peacefully since midday, exercising their civic rights to challenge controversial policies like the free nutritious meal program while demanding that lawmakers finally pass the long-stalled asset forfeiture bill.For anyone who lived through the democratic transition of 1998, the sight immediately triggered a sense of déjà vu.
The sudden appearance of this counter-mob unmistakably mirrored the dark legacy of Pam Swakarsa, the civilian militia organized by security elites during the final convulsions of the New Order. Back then, state-backed vigilantes routinely provoked violent clashes at critical flash points, from the historic grounds of the Proclamation Monument to the steps of the House of Representatives complex.
