Boiling point of rage: Mr. President, act now!

When a country is rocked by major unrest, we are often tempted to see it as a spontaneous explosion of momentary anger. However, for sociologists and political experts, every mass upheaval is the result of an accumulation of long-held dissatisfaction.

The tragedy that befell Affan Kurniawan, an online motorcycle taxi driver (ojol) who died after being run over by an armored tactical vehicle belonging to the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) on Thursday, is a perfect example of this phenomenon. This single event, which occurred during a demonstration, was not the cause but the “boiling point” that ignited the collective rage. This tragic event created a sense of momentum and gave people a reason to finally take to the streets, after previously feeling powerless or afraid to act.

The world has witnessed a recurring pattern, where a tragic event affecting a single innocent individual can trigger an unexpected explosion of collective anger. In the United States, the killing of George Floyd sparked a wave of massive protests that exposed systemic racism. In France, the shooting of Nahel Merzouk ignited riots that highlighted issues of discrimination. In Iran, the death of Mahsa Amini sparked massive demonstrations demanding freedom.