Of those arrested, 582 were adults and 415 were minors, East Java Police Chief Inspector General Nanang Avianto told reporters in Surabaya, on Thursday.
Police released 682 individuals, including many minors who were returned to their parents. The remaining 315 detainees are still undergoing legal proceedings.
“Almost no parent even knew what their child was involved in,” Avianto said, adding that parents need to pay closer attention to their children’s activities.
“It’s disappointing for any parent to see their child involved in incidents like this,” he added.
Avianto also urged young people to use social media responsibly, warning that the rapid spread of information can trigger real-world consequences if not handled wisely.
“We must be able to tell what’s positive and what’s negative,” he said.
The police chief called the involvement of so many minors a costly lesson and stressed that such events should not happen again.
“This must be a warning to all of us,” Avianto said.
Earlier reports said the protests caused more than Rp124 billion ($8 million) in damages in Surabaya alone, making it one of the most serious episodes of unrest this year.
Vandals looted, torched, and destroyed public facilities, including police posts and traffic infrastructure. One of the worst-hit sites was the historic Tegalsari Police Station, a designated cultural heritage site.
“This is a preliminary estimate. The damage involves arson, looting, and destruction of public property,” said East Java Police Spokesperson Senior Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast.
Authorities are continuing investigations and have pledged tighter monitoring to prevent further unrest.
In addition to Surabaya, protests demanding justice for Indonesia's poor also broke out in several other cities, including Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Solo, and Makassar.
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Translator: W. Irawan, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Arie Novarina
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