Jun 27, Kathmandu - Police arrested dozens of protesters during a rally and demonstration against President Prabowo Subianto's policies in Indonesia's second largest city, Surabaya, a rights group said on Saturday.

AFP reported that about 100 people had gathered near a government building in Surabaya on Friday to protest against fuel price hikes and Prabowo's flagship free food scheme.

Some protesters threw stones at police and set fire to government buildings before being arrested by police.

24 protesters were arrested, AFP reported, citing Fatkul Khoir, coordinator of rights group Contras Surabaya.

Surabaya police chief Luthfi Sulistiawan said the arrests were made after officers used force to push the protesters back but they failed to control them.

Protests have erupted in several Indonesian cities this month after Prabowo's administration raised petrol prices by about 30 percent to ease pressure on global oil supplies from Middle East wars.

Thousands of students took to the streets in the capital Jakarta to demand an end to fuel price hikes and a multi-billion dollar free food scheme.

The initiative, a cornerstone of Prabowo's political agenda, has been partially shelved after widespread criticism that it was ineffective and linked to mass food poisoning.