Corrupt governments have taken hold and have been brought down by the governed for centuries, all over the world, with some regions having more success than others. In Jakarta, a major bank fell victim to poor investments, requiring a bailout from the government to prevent the possibility of a systematic banking collapse. The investments, coming in stages of increasingly larger amounts, totaled $710 million, some of which was siphoned off by the country’s president, critics alleged.

On this day, December 9, in 2009, declared International Anti-Corruption Day, multiple protests of thousands of people spread from Indonesia’s capital Jakarta to demand government accountability for the Century Bank loans.

Some of the protesters demanded government release of information concerning the funds, but many others concluded the government was already guilty. “We know that corruption is the source of stupidity, poverty and social imbalance,” one of them said. “We are expecting the world to bring down all the corruptors as well as Indonesia. Whoever the corruptor is, we have to take them down. If you’re not a corruptor, there is no reason for you to be afraid.”