From Indonesia to Syria: Violent protests over fuel prices

Mass protests are erupting worldwide against soaring fuel prices, following a roughly 50% spike in oil prices to $108 per barrel due to the Gulf war. The violent demonstrations span from Indonesia to Syria, through France, Portugal, Guatemala, and the Philippines, threatening political stability in many countries. In France, about 50 fishermen blocked a major fuel depot in a southern coastal town on Tuesday and briefly clashed with police. In Portugal, drivers organized via social media disrupted traffic on major routes and blocked access to a refinery in the city of Sines. In Syria, the Syrian government announced a temporary 40% increase in fuel prices, sparking a wave of protests with tire burnings and road blockades. In Indonesia, taxi drivers protested against a new fuel rationing system, and students in Yogyakarta were aggressively dispersed by authorities. In Guatemala, transport workers marched demanding a change in fuel policy. In the Philippines, bus and taxi drivers protested in Quezon City, and fishermen in Manila Bay were forced to stay in port. The head of the local fishermen's association said: "Many were eager to return to fishing, but they have no money to buy fuel. The new round of price hikes is choking many of us to death." In Bangladesh, power outages occur about five times a day, and factories are forced to shut down. High oil prices stem from the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting ship traffic, while the Houthis announced a blockade on Saudi Arabia through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and militias in Iraq damaged an east-west oil pipeline.