East Java Secretary Regrets Vandalism of Grahadi State Building

The East Java Provincial Secretary, Adhy Karyono, expressed regret over the act of vandalism against the Grahadi State Building during a demonstration titled #IndonesiaSekarat in Surabaya on Friday night.

“This is very unfortunate. We are currently in the process of completing repairs to Grahadi, which also suffered a fire a year ago, but now such an incident has recurred,” said Adhy Karyono while inspecting the Grahadi State Building.

According to him, security forces have been working to control the situation to prevent the protest from escalating further. He added that the East Java Provincial Government continues to strive to restore and repair the historic building so that it can function optimally once again.

“If there is damage to a state building like this, it is certainly a loss for all citizens. This is a symbol of the East Java Provincial Government,” he stated.

Previously, the demonstration in front of the Grahadi State Building turned chaotic on Friday night. The crowd, dominated by participants dressed in black, threw bottles, stones, and various other objects towards officers.

Furthermore, part of the crowd damaged the fences of the Grahadi State Building, which was undergoing renovation following a fire last year. The protest, which initially focused on expressing aspirations, intensified after the crowd set fire to piles of rubbish on Jalan Gubernur Suryo, leading to increased security around the location.

The Surabaya Metropolitan Police subsequently dispersed the crowd after some participants allegedly engaged in vandalism and throwing objects, which was deemed a threat to the safety of both the public and the protesters.