Observer Regrets Student Cursing Police During Protest at National Police Headquarters

Jakarta – Fernando Emas, Director of Indonesia’s House of Politics, has expressed regret over a student’s verbal abuse towards police officers during a demonstration at the National Police Headquarters (Mabes Polri) in Jakarta on Friday 27 February.

The student, whose video went viral on social media, was also found to have inappropriately invoked the name of the University of Indonesia (UI) as his alma mater.

Fernando stated in a statement issued in Jakarta on Sunday that such actions not only undermined academic ethics but also harmed the educational institution whose name was used without authorisation. “Freedom of opinion is indeed constitutionally guaranteed. However, this freedom is not a space to insult, provoke or demean state officials. Especially not to invoke the name of a campus with no connection,” he said.

Based on available information, the student in question was from Jakarta State Polytechnic (PNJ), not from the University of Indonesia as the narrative that initially circulated publicly had suggested.

Fernando considered the clarification issued by UI to be appropriate and proportional. Through its Public Relations Directorate, UI verified the individual’s identity via the Higher Education Database (PDDIKTI) and confirmed that the person was not part of their academic community. “I appreciate UI’s swift action in correcting the information. This is important so the public is not trapped in false framing,” he said.

Fernando also criticised the unilateral use of campus insignia during the demonstration. He considered such actions unethical and potentially damaging to the reputation of educational institutions. He reminded students, as an intellectual group, that they should be exemplary in presenting criticism in an argumentative manner, not emotionally. “Students are agents of change. Criticism must be conveyed with ideas and data, not with profanity. If students themselves lose ethics, how can the public trust the moral force they claim?” he said.

Nonetheless, Fernando stated that the right to demonstrate must continue to be respected as long as it is carried out peacefully and responsibly. He also called on police to maintain a humanitarian approach when dealing with demonstrations. “Democracy requires space for criticism, but also requires maturity of attitude. We must not allow the democratic space to become a space for verbal abuse,” he said.

The University of Indonesia previously issued clarification regarding the demonstration by a number of students at the Police Headquarters. The demonstration became viral after a video clip showing a man, allegedly a student, verbally abusing police officers on duty, circulated widely on social media.

Through an official statement from its Public Relations, Media, Government and International Relations Directorate, UI confirmed that the individual recorded in the video was not affiliated with the university. “Not a student of the University of Indonesia,” UI’s official statement read.

The university stated it had verified the individual’s identity by checking official data in the PDDIKTI database. Verification results showed the individual was a student from another higher education institution. UI also expressed regret at the unilateral use of campus insignia by the individual during the demonstration, deeming such action potentially confusing to the public and damaging to the institution’s reputation. However, the university authorities remained respectful of the decision of UI students who participated in the demonstration, considering it a constitutional right so long as it was conducted peacefully and responsibly.