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Traffic in the Indonesian city of Jakarta was brought to a halt Tuesday due to violent protests against ride-sharing apps.
The protests came from Jakarta’s taxi drivers, who caused traffic jams by blocking off several main roads. Some were also witnessed on social media damaging vehicles and confronting bystanders.
Their actions came in response to the Indonesian government’s apparent refusal to regulate or outright ban ride-sharing services Uber, Grab (formerly known as GrabTaxi) and GoJek, according to local media reports. Uber and Grab focus mainly on transportation by car, while GoJek drivers use motorcycles to ease passengers through Jakarta’s infamous traffic jams.
Another cause of tension for cabbies is the loss of income due to ride-sharing services, a recurring complaint from taxi drivers around the world.
This is the second demonstration in Indonesia in just over a week about this issue, with peaceful protests taking place last Monday.
It’s far from the first time that ride-sharing services such as Uber have led to unrest among taxi drivers, with similar protests in London, Paris and the United States over the past year. The controversies don’t appear to have significantly hurt Uber’s financially. The San Francisco-based company was worth about $60 billion in December, according to Bloomberg.
Grab and GoJek kept their businesses going for the day, despite the protests. Uber responded by turning off surge pricing for the day to encourage riders.
