Clashes Break Out at UGM Student Protest, Several Students\nInjured<\/p>\n
Reporter<\/p>\n
September 2, 2026 | 11:26 am<\/p>\n
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A protest organized by the Gadjah Mada University\n(UGM) Student Alliance, which later joined the Civil Society Alliance,\ndescended into clashes at the Gramedia intersection in Yogyakarta on\nTuesday night, September 1, 2026.<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta Police said several protesters sustained minor\ninjuries, while several police officers were also hit by a spray\nbelieved to contain pepper spray.<\/p>\n
Tensions between protesters and a group of residents identifying\nthemselves as Jaga Warga erupted after demonstrators blocked the road.\nThe protest began at around 4 p.m. and continued until 10 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a misunderstanding between the protesters and residents\nafter the road was blocked, which led to a minor altercation. However,\nthe situation was brought under control,\u201d Yogyakarta Police spokesperson\nSenior Commissioner Ihsan said Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
According to Ihsan, the confrontation involved protesters and\nresidents pushing each other, causing several student protesters to fall\nand sustain injuries after residents pushed them back toward the UGM\nroundabout.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe injured protesters immediately received medical treatment and\nwere evacuated independently in UGM ambulances to Panti Rapih Hospital.\nHowever, all of them were able to return home that same night,\u201d Ihsan\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ihsan also said several officers securing the area were hit by a\nspray believed to be pepper spray. The officers were treated immediately\nin police ambulances.<\/p>\n
He said the police\u2019s main priority in securing the protest was to\nmaintain a humane approach while protecting the public\u2019s right to\nexpress their views in public.<\/p>\n
After the protesters were dispersed at around 10:15 p.m., the\nsituation at the Gramedia intersection returned to normal. Traffic,\nwhich had been disrupted for more than five hours, resumed.<\/p>\n
Police also deployed routine patrols at several strategic locations\nto maintain security across Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the late hour, we also urge our fellow students to return\ndirectly to their homes or boarding houses in an orderly manner,\u201d Ihsan\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Road Blockade Escalates Into Clashes<\/p>\n
Tempo observed that the protesters\u2019 road blockade, which began at\naround 4 p.m., had already triggered tensions and physical\nconfrontations with groups of residents.<\/p>\n
The first clash occurred at around 7 p.m., when residents and\nstudents briefly chased each other toward Jalan Cik Di Tiro in the\ndirection of UGM.<\/p>\n
Another clash broke out at around 9:45 p.m., when residents again\npushed the students away from the Gramedia intersection toward the\nnorth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe root of the problem is no longer about technical issues or\npolicy, but the leadership of today\u2019s regime, which is chaotic and far\nremoved from the Constitution,\u201d UGM protester representative Mesa said\nbefore the demonstrators were pushed northward.<\/p>\n
Another alliance representative from Yogyakarta\u2019s UPN University,\nRisyad, criticized the deployment of civilian groups to help secure the\nprotest, saying it could trigger conflict between members of the\npublic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to understand that responsibility for security and public\norder should be handled by the police. Deploying mass organizations that\nare close to the current regime is simply not appropriate,\u201d Risyad\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Read: Jakarta Police Name 49 Suspects Over Parliament Protest\nUnrest<\/p>\n
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