PHOTOS: Indonesia’s explosive gas-price protests
By government decree, Indonesia's state-subsidized gas prices will likely shoot up by roughly 33 percent coming Sunday.
That pending decision has ignited popular discontent. And that's putting it mildly.
Anti-price hike rallies are growing so large that the govenment will ready an astonishing 22,000 troops and cops for more demonstrations in the capital this week, according to the Jakarta Post.
The Post reports that the protests are expected to draw around 8,000 people. If accurate, that's nearly three cops or soldiers for every lone protester.
What's got authorities in Jakarta so jumpy?
Here are a few of the more chaotic images (shot by AFP/Getty) from rallies earlier this month that attracted more than 3,000 people. Keep in mind that similar protests — despite occasionally devolving into rock hurling from protesters and tear-gas attack from police, according to the AP — have produced few injuries and enjoy the support of major political parties as well as student groups.
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