World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Six Greenpeace Activists Evacuated After Protest at Jakarta Monument
Six Greenpeace Indonesia activists climbed the Welcome Monument at Bundaran HI in central Jakarta on Tuesday and unfurled protest banners.
The banners criticized the handling of disasters and the climate crisis, and called for action on rising living costs.
Police and local authorities evacuated all six activists and took them to the Jakarta police headquarters; one activist was reported to feel weak while climbing down.
The activists’ legal advocates, the Advocacy Team for Democracy, said the protest was peaceful and caused no damage.
The advocates questioned the legal basis for taking the activists to police headquarters and said their legal status had not been made clear.
They said police might transfer the case to a unit handling special crimes over a possible cultural heritage law issue, but argued that no damage or theft had occurred.
The advocates are urging police to clarify the case and release the six activists so they can return home.
Police removed protest banners from the Welcome Monument at Jakarta’s Hotel Indonesia roundabout on October 20.
Six Greenpeace Indonesia activists had climbed the monument to display messages about disasters, the climate crisis and living costs.
The activists descended using ropes, and police took them to Metro Jaya Police Headquarters.
An advocacy group questioned the legal basis for taking the activists to the headquarters and called for their release.
Reports differ on when the banners were first displayed: Kompas.com said about 6:30 a.m., while police gave a time of 6:05 to 6:15 a.m.
- Who
- Six Greenpeace Indonesia activists; police removed the banners and evacuated the activists.
- What
- The activists displayed protest banners on the Welcome Monument. Police removed the banners and took the activists to Metro Jaya Police Headquarters.
- When
- October 20, 2026. The banner display began in the morning.
- Where
- The Welcome Monument at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Why
- The activists protested over disaster response, the climate crisis, forest fires and rising living costs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Police chief Reynold E.P. Hutagalung said the six activists displayed a protest banner during this period.
Kompas.com reported that the protest banners had been displayed since around this time.
Police tried to climb partway up the monument and shook a banner, which activists then released.
The activists began descending one by one using ropes attached to a fire truck.
Four activists had come down, while two remained on the monument and were being evacuated.
TAUD questioned the legal basis for taking the activists to Metro Jaya Police Headquarters and called for their release.
- Activists
- Six Greenpeace Indonesia members: two women and four men
- Location
- Welcome Monument, Hotel Indonesia roundabout, Central Jakarta
- Banner message
- Protested disaster response, the climate crisis and rising living costs
- Evacuation
- Activists descended using ropes attached to a fire truck
- Destination
- Metro Jaya Police Headquarters
- Advocacy group
- Tim Advokasi untuk Demokrasi questioned the legal basis for taking the activists there
5 sources
Polda Metro Pulangkan 6 Aktivis Greenpeace yang Pasang Spanduk di HI
Police Release Greenpeace Indonesia Activists After Arrest over Protest
Polisi Turunkan Spanduk Greenpeace di Bundaran HI, 6 Aktivis Sempat Bertahan di Atas Monumen
What people are saying
They, the six Greenpeace Indonesia activists, are environmental human rights defenders.
There is no legal basis for what the police are doing now.
Friends, please come down immediately, pay attention to safety, put safety first.
The climate crisis is making life difficult for the public.