Eruption! A mob attacked the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya, Indonesia, and set it on fire
The situation is heating up in Surabaya, Indonesia, after a massive demonstration turned violent. Tonight, the Grahadi State Building, one of the icons of the East Java government, was reportedly set on fire by a mob.
The chaos began when thousands of protesters gathered around Jalan Gubernur Suryo, holding speeches demanding justice for various national issues. Initially, the situation was peaceful, but around 9:00 PM WIB, some began throwing stones and hard objects at the Grahadi State Building.
Shortly, flames appeared at the front of the building. The fire quickly spread, engulfing parts of the building, including the front fence and parts of the walls of the historic building. Black smoke billowed from a distance, visible from several kilometers away.
Police and Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) officers on duty attempted to disperse the crowd with tear gas. Fire trucks were immediately dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blaze. However, these efforts were hampered by the crowd remaining around the building and throwing objects at officers.
As of this writing, flames were still visible in several parts of the building. There have been no official reports of casualties, but several people were reportedly injured in the clashes.
Public Reaction
This incident caused panic among the people of Surabaya. Several residents living near the location chose to temporarily evacuate. Social media was filled with videos and photos of the fire, which immediately became a trending topic that evening.
