Greenpeace Activists Protest Climate Crisis at Jakarta Bundaran HI Monument
Six Greenpeace Indonesia activists who climbed the Selamat Datang Monument at the Bundaran HI traffic circle in Central Jakarta on October 20, 2026, to protest climate change policies and economic hardship were safely evacuated by police and emergency services.
Protesters Scale Central Jakarta Monument With Climate Banners
The demonstration began at approximately 06.30 WIB when protesters hoisted yellow banners on the iconic monument facing the capital’s main thoroughfares. DetikNews reported that one banner demanded government action on ecological pressures with the message, “Handle Climate Crisis, Lower the Cost of Living.” Meanwhile, Kompas.com noted that a second banner displayed the slogan, “Disasters Are Getting Worse, Life Is Getting Harder, What Is the Government’s Work?”
By 09.30 WIB, police officers used a sling rope to climb halfway up the monument, shaking the banners until the activists released them. Despite the removal of the protest displays, six activists remained stationed on top of the structure for hours, leading to a deployment of joint personnel from the National Police, Indonesian National Armed Forces, Fire Department, and Public Order Agency.
Police and Emergency Response at Bundaran HI
As the standoff continued into the late morning, Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Senior Commissioner Reynold E.P. Hutagalung used a loudspeaker to urge the demonstrators to prioritize their physical safety and descend. He directed police and military personnel stationed below to secure the area and provide full protection to the climbers. Around 10.30 WIB, the activists rigged a sling rope connected to a fire truck parked on the street level. They descended in turns while holding circular banners and were immediately handed towels and placed into police ambulances bound for the Jakarta Metro Police Headquarters.
Greenpeace Demands Action on Ecological Crises and Inflation
Greenpeace Indonesia Climate Justice Campaigner Jeanny Sirait stated that extreme weather and ecological disasters threaten public safety and suppress household incomes while accelerating food price inflation. She pointed to prolonged haze and environmental degradation as direct pressures on daily economic activity, particularly for vulnerable wage earners. Liputan6.com added that the protest messages were positioned specifically to address national leadership, with banners facing north toward the Merdeka Palace and south across the Bundaran HI commercial district.
