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JAKARTA: Thousands of angry protesters set fire to barricades and police posts in the Indonesian capital as opposition mounted to the country’s controversial new investment law that critics say will harm labour rights and the environment and put countless numbers of workers out of a job.

Tens of thousands of people have protested in cities across the archipelago since Monday’s passing of the bill, which seeks to attract foreign investment by cutting red tape around taxation, labour and environment regulations.

Labour activists and green groups have slammed the legislation, with Amnesty International saying it is “catastrophic” for workers.

Nearly 13,000 police were deployed in the capital to block access to government buildings in central Jakarta. However, they failed to stop protesters from making their way to the heart of the capital, where they set fire to barricades and torched several bus stops and police traffic posts.

Police in riot gear moved in and fought back with batons, water cannon and tear gas. Hundreds of people were arrested.

At least 250 people — more than 200 protesters and 50 police — have been injured in three days of riots.

The government hopes the new law — which amends dozens of existing laws covering taxation, labour and environmental regulations — will attract foreign investment.

Police had banned the protests on the grounds it could spread the coronavirus. At least 300,000 people have been infected in Indonesia and more than 11,000 have died.