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MEDAN, INDONESIA - OCTOBER 08: Riots broke out between police and demonstrators on Thursday as thousands gathered in Indonesia’s Medan city to protest a new law that changes the country’s labor and investment rules.Police fired tear gas and pushed back protesters who tried to march unlawfully.Clashes also broke out in other parts of the country, including capital Jakarta and the cities of Tangerang, Batam, Malang, and Bandar Lampung.Labor unions and students have taken to the streets in protest against the Job Creation bill, which labor groups see as a “serious threat” to worker's rights, according to the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions.The bill passed on Monday includes legislation changes to revise dozens of laws in key sectors such as labor and tax. It has drawn criticism from various circles for disregarding workers’ rights and environmental protections.Police have warned that the demonstrations are not permitted under the current COVID-19 safety rules in place.Remy Hastian, coordinator of the Indonesian Student Executive Board alliance, said the controversial bill favors employers and threatens the rights of workers, so the government must annul its ratification.“We all agree on rejecting this bill and seeking other alternatives like a judicial review, and urge the president to issue a Government Regulation in Lieu of a Law,” he said in a statement.The 905-page final draft of the bill amends 79 prevailing laws, including the Labor Law, Environmental Management Law, and Spatial Planning Law.It makes major changes to environmental regulation and workers’ entitlements, removing key protections such as mandatory paid leave for childbirth, increased limits on work overtime, and cutting severance pay amounts.The government, however, claims the law aims to remove red tape and is part of efforts to open the economy to more foreign investment. (Footage by Albert Ivan Damanik/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)