LBH Jakarta Reveals Labour Demonstrators Promised 'Concert' at DPR Were Actually Taken to Polda

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Jakarta has revealed findings of alleged diversion of crowds during the International Labour Day (May Day) action in the DPR/MPR RI area, Jakarta, on Friday (1/5/2026). According to its findings, several action participants were reportedly directed by parties suspected to be officers to board buses under the pretext of heading to a concert. However, instead of being taken to the event location, they were directed to the Metro Jaya Regional Police Headquarters. “At that time, there were plainclothes police around Palmerah who then directed the action masses to board buses to a concert venue. Instead of arriving at the concert venue, the bus actually headed to the Metro Jaya Police Headquarters,” said Nabil when contacted by Kompas.com on Saturday (2/5/2026). As information, the 2026 May Day in front of the DPR RI Building was not only filled with speeches and demands, but also enlivened by performances from several musicians. In addition to the alleged diversion, LBH Jakarta also highlighted the arrest process of the masses, which was deemed not in accordance with procedures. Nabil stated that most of the secured masses had not even reached the action gathering point in the DPR area. LBH Jakarta also found indications of alleged violations of the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), including the seizure of personal belongings of the masses without any basis for suspected criminal acts. “There are several alleged KUHAP violations such as action masses who were arrested had their phones seized, even though no suspected criminal acts had been found,” said Nabil. To date, LBH Jakarta has recorded data on 51 people out of a total of 101 people secured by officers in the incident. From that number, all have been released and none have been designated as suspects. “So far, from the 51 people we have documented, no status as suspects has been found and they have all been released,” said Nabil.