Protests in Europe Widen, Foreign Ministry Yet to Issue Travel Warning

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) has confirmed that no travel warning has been issued for Indonesian citizens planning to travel to Europe.

"Currently, there is no travel warning for Europe," said Heni Hamidah, Director of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens (PWNI), on Thursday (22/10/2026).

However, Heni urged Indonesians to monitor the situation in Europe following the unrest that recently occurred in several countries, including France and Italy.

She also encouraged Indonesians to stay updated with official information from local authorities.

"For Indonesians in Europe, it's advisable to adjust their travel plans considering the possible disruptions to public transportation in Europe," she stated.

No Indonesian Citizens Affected

Heni assured that all Indonesian citizens in France and Italy are safe.

According to her, there are no reported cases of Indonesians being victims of the unrest in the two countries.

"Based on our representatives in France and Italy, namely the Indonesian Embassy in France, the Consulate General in Marseille, and the Indonesian Embassy in Rome, there have been no reports of Indonesian citizens affected by the demonstration riots so far," Heni explained.

She emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its representatives continue to monitor developments and the current security situation following the demonstrations.

They will take various measures to ensure the safety of Indonesian citizens.

"And certainly maintain communication with Indonesian citizens," she added.

In case of emergencies, Indonesian citizens in France and Italy can contact:

• Indonesian Embassy hotline in Paris at 33-6-2112-2109 
• Indonesian Embassy hotline in Rome at 39-338-954-2333.

Protests in Europe

According to a report by The Telegraph, approximately 550,000 people took to the streets in protests involving the yellow vest movement, labor unions, and student groups.

Among them, 110,000 demonstrators were in Paris.

The wave of unrest began from student protests that have been ongoing for three weeks.

The movement initially arose as a protest against a shortage of teachers and deteriorating conditions in secondary schools in the suburbs of Paris, with some schools even being set on fire.

Calls on social media then prompted demonstrators in various regions to revive the "yellow vest" movement that emerged in 2018 as a protest against rising living costs.

The movement then expanded with the involvement of labor unions representing nurses, teachers, farmers, taxi drivers, and environmental activists.

AFP reports that at least 1,200 people have been arrested during the protests, with 150 police officers reported injured. The protests have since spread to several other European countries, including Albania, Spain, and Italy.