Jakarta’s rowdy fuel price protests

Indonesian protests against a 30 percent raise in the government-controlled fuel price have, again, turned unruly.

This backlash to the jump in gas prices — triggered by global petroleum costs — is powerful. According to the Jakarta Globe, the police estimate roughly 88,200 protesters across the sprawling island nation of 240 million people.

But it seems the rallies — organized by students, political factions and trade unions — can't seem to summon as many bodies in one strategic location as planners would like. The Asia News Network reports that they'd hoped for 8,000 but got only about 3,500 around Jakarta, the capital.

Some of those who did turn up found tit-for-tat street fighting with droves of cops and soldiers armed with tear gas grenades.

This is what it looked like. (All images shot by AFP/Getty Images photographer Ulet Ifansasti except for the final shot, taken by AFP/Getty's Adek Berry.)