Police raid raises serious questions<\/p>\n
Cameron Bates and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The flashing strobe lights and lasers accompanying the beats of
\nIndonesia's most promising DJs at a dance music festival in
\nJakarta overnight Saturday were replaced with the harsh
\nspotlights of television cameras and the faces of brown-uniformed
\npolice officers.<\/p>\n
Within minutes, more than 1,000 music lovers of all ages were
\nherded from four dance floors within the Club Rasuna complex in
\nKuningan and shown the door, their party cut rudely short.<\/p>\n
On Monday, organizers of Rhythm Unity were still struggling to
\nunderstand events surrounding its closure, and pondering the
\nimpact on future events featuring Indonesian DJs.<\/p>\n
Setiabudi Police chief Comr. Kusdiantoro, who led the raid, at
\ndifferent times, has cited a number of reasons for the closure,
\nincluding drug abuse, illegal alcohol sales, permit breaches and
\nnoise complaints.<\/p>\n
Attacks by an unidentified group of men outside the club was
\nnot given as grounds for the closure. In fact, Kusdiantoro denied
\nany attacks had even taken place.<\/p>\n
Witnesses spoken to The Jakarta Post on Monday said most of
\nthe 38 police officers providing security at the Ministry of
\nTourism-sanctioned party, left their posts just prior to 1:30
\na.m., Sunday morning, 30 minutes before its scheduled close.<\/p>\n
Within minutes, a group of about 20 men who had gathered
\noutside the club began randomly attacking concertgoers.<\/p>\n
In a suspiciously rapid response, a second group of police
\nofficers, led by Kusdiantoro, arrived. Though it is not clear
\nwhen Kusdiantoro arrived himself, witnesses said the response
\nteam stood by as the drunk thugs continued their violence,
\nincluding throwing bottles and stealing five bags containing
\nmobile phones and an unknown amount of cash during an attack on
\nthe ticket booth.<\/p>\n
Kusdiantoro, the son-in-law of National Police Chief Da'i
\nBachtiar, ignored the rioters and, with cameras in tow, set his
\nsights on the party, closing it.<\/p>\n
Media sources later told the Post that Kusdiantoro had told
\nthe news crews about his intentions hours before the raid.<\/p>\n
One of the six organizers, Anton Wiryono, a prominent local
\nDJ, refused to comment on witness reports that the thugs had
\nadmitted to have been hired for a stage-managed publicity stunt.<\/p>\n
He apologized to those who had paid Rp 65,000 to attend the
\nconcert, particularly those subjected to violence.<\/p>\n
Frederick Alloysius, the quality controller for Aphrodite, a
\nfully-licensed bar and restaurant within but separate from Club
\nRasuna, said the organizers had all the necessary permits and
\npermission from local residents. Community members had also
\nprovided additional security.<\/p>\n
Contacted Monday, Kusdiantoro said the organizers had ignored
\npublic protests, had misused the permit by staging a dance party
\nand were simply serving their own interests in holding the event.<\/p>\n
\"This is the second time Club Rasuna management have ignored
\nthe public. Early this year, the management ... ignored public
\ncomplaints.\"<\/p>\n
Kusdiantoro denied the attacks had occurred.<\/p>\n
\"There have been no such reports to police,\" he claimed.<\/p>\n
He said no drugs were found and no arrests made during the
\nraid.<\/p>\n
Organizers said they were fearful that corporate sponsorship
\nof dance events from a number of high-profile companies would be
\nwithdrawn following the incident.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-raid-raises-serious-questions-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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