Demonstration Blocked, Protesters and Police Clash in Central Jakarta
A physical confrontation occurred between police officers and protesters in front of Jalan MH Thamrin, specifically in front of the UOB Building, Central Jakarta, on Friday (12/06/2026) afternoon. The incident took place as police deployed steel barriers to obstruct the movement of the demonstration.
According to observations, the protesters remained stationed on Jalan MH Thamrin until 16:30 WIB. Meanwhile, TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and police personnel continued to block the crowd from advancing towards the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout area.
Tensions escalated when police pushed the steel barriers towards the crowd, prompting protesters to push back against the barriers. This resulted in a period of mutual pushing between the police and the demonstrators, during which some individuals reportedly threw empty mineral water bottles at the officers.
Despite the friction, the tension did not persist for long, and the situation on the ground returned to a more stable state. However, the protesters continued to hold their ground, maintaining their intention to proceed with the demonstration at the HI Roundabout.
The protest, initiated by BEM UI, was scheduled to begin at 13:00 in the HI Roundabout area. The student group presented five key demands: an end to state budget (APBN) waste, a reduction in the prices of basic necessities and fuel, a halt to the MBG programme and the development of the ‘Merah Putih’ Village Cooperatives, an end to militarism in civilian spheres, and a demand for Prabowo to stop evading accountability and to admit his mistakes.
However, the students’ journey to the protest site was intercepted by police. The group was initially blocked in the Semanggi area on Friday afternoon, where they were redirected to protest in front of the DPR Building.
Following this, the students attempted a long march towards the HI Roundabout area, but they were once again intercepted by police and TNI personnel on Jalan MH Thamrum, specifically in front of the UOB Building.