Police clear streets of demonstrators<\/p>\n
Anyone planning to exercise their democratic rights by staging
\nrallies along Jakarta's main roads during the Asian-African
\nSummit should think again as the police have orders to send them
\npacking straightaway.<\/p>\n
Several groups of would-be protesters, including members of
\nthe Indonesian Farmers Federation, the Anti-Debt Coalition and
\nthe Jakarta Workers Association, tried on Thursday to stage
\ndemonstrations at the famous Hotel Indonesia traffic circle,
\nCentral Jakarta, but were dispersed by the police within five
\nminutes.<\/p>\n
Less than 10 minutes after the police dispersed them, a number
\nof convoys carrying summit delegates passed along the road.<\/p>\n
\"We had just arrived, and we didn't even have a chance to do
\nanything. They simply want to impress the summit delegates, and
\nmake them think that Jakarta is a peaceful city with no
\ndemonstrations,\" Wahyu, a leader of the rally, told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
A police officer said that they could not risk the possibility
\nof the protesters \"spoiling the peaceful summit\".<\/p>\n
\"We have orders to disperse any demonstrations, especially
\nalong main roads. If we were to let the protesters stay there,
\nchaos could break out,\" he said. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-clear-streets-of-demonstrators-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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