Metro Jaya Regional Police Hunt Intellectual Masterminds and Funders of 27 August Protests
The General Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimum) of the Metro Jaya Regional Police is currently investigating allegations of intellectual masterminds, financiers, and mass mobilisers behind the riots that took place in Jakarta on Thursday, 27 August. Police have detected patterns of planned mobilisation within the anarchic actions.
The Director of General Criminal Investigation at Metro Jaya Regional Police, Kombes Iman Imanuddin, emphasised that the force is conducting an in-depth investigation to uncover the parties responsible behind the scenes. According to him, the actions of the perpetrators show strong indications of mature planning.
“We are conducting further investigations into the intellectual masterminds, the suspected providers of funds, as well as the mobilisers of the rioting masses,” Iman stated during a press conference at the Metro Jaya Regional Police Headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday (2/9).
Iman clarified that the groups involved in the riots were distinct from the protesters who were expressing their aspirations peacefully. He noted that the actual demonstrations had concluded before this group of rioters suddenly appeared at the location.
“We also wish to clarify that those involved in the riots were not the protesters. They appeared suddenly after the protest had ended, not to convey aspirations, but to immediately engage in destruction,” he asserted.
Based on preliminary findings, the police suspect this group is a band of rioters following a specific pattern of action. Although they appeared to move in several separate parts, police believe there was a systematically organised mass mobilisation.
Iman added that this movement model bears similarities to patterns of riots that have frequently occurred in the past. Currently, investigators continue to gather clues and evidence to confirm the role of each party involved.
As information, the Metro Jaya Regional Police have previously arrested three perpetrators with the initials FR, MH, and FM. All three are suspected of being involved in the destruction of CCTV monitoring facilities belonging to the Jakarta Provincial Government in the DPR/MPR RI area, Senayan, during the incident.