A Reuters report notes that the protests coincided with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's trip to China to attend a parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and Japan's surrender. The women's protest placards on Wednesday included slogans like, "Reform the Police" and "Your sweet promises are giving us diabetes."

According to the BBC, the protest organizer, The Alliance of Indonesian Women, explained the significance of the brooms. They were used to symbolize the need to "sweep away" the "filth" of the state and the oppression by security forces.

The protests began last week, shaking the world's third-largest democracy. The movement gained momentum and spread across the country after a taxi driver was killed by a police vehicle on Thursday. Human rights organizations have reported at least 10 deaths so far in the protests, with some instances of looting and rioting also reported.

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