The rally shut down the city's major roads on Tuesday (22/03). (Reuters Photo/Darren Whiteside)

Jakarta. The government is unmoved after taxi drivers demanded the ban of web based car hailing services after the drivers' latest protest in the capital turned violent on Tuesday (22/03).

"The online [hailing] system is a technology, which is not a problem itself. Conventional taxis can use it as well, like the other companies," said Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan in response to the drivers demands.

Ignasius's comments are a backflip from last week after seeking bans of the services via the country's telecommunications network after an earlier, smaller scale rally.

President Joko Widodo sunk the move, instead forcing US-based Uber and Malaysia's Grab to establish permanent offices in the country, pay taxes and subject vehicles to regular inspections.

The move failed to placate taxi drivers, many of whom report losing more than half of their daily income since the app services launched two years ago.

About 10,000 drivers under the Land Transportation Drivers Association (PPAD) showed up at on Tuesday the House of Representative, the City Hall, the State Palace and the Communication and Information Technology Ministry building in protest.

The protest turned violent after a portion of protestors forced fellow drivers still operating taxis and buses to stop. Several taxis and bajaj were damaged.

Some protestors also became involved in skirmishes with riders of popular motorcycle taxi service Gojek.

In response, the minister called protestors as "criminals" who "need to be prosecuted."

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama went further, saying he would freeze taxi companies whose drivers were proven involved in today's violence.

Blue Bird, the country's largest taxi operators, said on its official Twitter account that the company would act "decisively to drivers who are convicted in the violence."