Fact Check: No Burning Buildings in Surabaya Student Protest

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of posts on Facebook (account 1 [archive], account 2) and TikTok claim that a student protest on June 26, 2026, burned down several buildings, completely paralyzing Surabaya.

The videos show students clashing with police, burning buildings, and photos of protesting crowds among high-rise buildings. The account owners wrote that the demonstration had been ongoing since June 26, 2026.

However, does the video truly show a student demonstration on June 26, 2026, that paralyzed Surabaya and burned down several buildings?

FACT CHECK

Tempo verified this content through reverse image searches and comparisons with credible media reports. The results showed that a protest did take place in Surabaya on June 26, 2026, but the uploaded video shows the Kediri Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on fire on August 30, 2025.

According to Tempo's on-the-ground report, the #IndonesiaSekarat protest held by a civil society coalition in Surabaya kicked off at 3:00 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB). The protesters only set fire to various objects and threw stones at the police on guard. They also pushed the fence around the under-renovation Grahadi Building at around 6:00 p.m. By the end of the demonstration, no government buildings had been burned.

The protest was held to criticize government policies and programs. Protesters were demanding the termination of two priority programs: Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) and the Red and White Village Cooperative (KDMP).

Video Verification

The video of the building fire, which is claimed to have occurred in Surabaya, is identical to a video previously uploaded by the YouTube accounts KOMPASTV KEDIRI, Tribun Jatim Timur, Tribunnews, and Harian Surya on August 30, 2025. The incident occurred after a protest at the Kediri City Police Headquarters.

Several government buildings in Kediri City were vandalized and set on fire by a mob on late Saturday, August 30, 2025. A group of people vandalized the regency government building, the DPRD building, and the Samsat office and set dozens of cars on fire.

Initially, hundreds of people from various groups protested in front of the Kediri City Police Headquarters, East Java, before eventually storming the Kediri City DPRD and damaging several facilities.

The demonstration was triggered by the death of online motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan, who was run over by a Brimob vehicle in the Pejompongan area, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Thursday night, August 28, 2025.

Conclusion

The claim that the student protest on June 26, 2026, paralyzed Surabaya and set several buildings ablaze is false.

Footage of the damage and fires circulating on social media largely originates from the riots that occurred in August 2025, not from the student demonstrations on June 26, 2026.

TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM

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