Kopassus Denies Rumours of Commander Slapping Palace Protocol Official

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Special Forces Command (Kopassus) has affirmed that reports alleging Commander of Kopassus Lieutenant General TNI Djon Afriandi slapped someone from the Palace protocol team are untrue. This denial was released by Kopassus Public Relations through the Instagram account @penkopassus on Tuesday (21/4/2026). “Be wary of a hoax circulating that drags the name of a TNI high-ranking officer and the Palace environment; this narrative claims a commotion between the Kopassus Commander and protocol personnel,” stated the @penkopassus Instagram account. Kopassus Public Relations assesses that the information was deliberately spread by certain parties to divide the nation. Kopassus Public Relations also stated there is no valid evidence supporting the rumour. “In fact, this is merely a fabrication without valid evidence; this information is intentionally disseminated to create unrest and fracture the internal solidarity of state institutions,” said Kopassus Public Relations. The narrative was posted by the Threads account @retailman69, but that account has now disappeared. However, the narrative has widely circulated on social media.