Pancasila Youth Storm PWI Kudus Office: Here's the Reason

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUDUS – The Indonesian Journalists’ Union (PWI) Kudus District has condemned the storming of their office by members of the Pemuda Pancasila (PP) mass organisation. The incident is believed to be related to an AI-generated illustration uploaded by Tribun Jateng media on its social media account.

PWI Kudus revealed that their office was stormed by PP members on Tuesday night (14/4/2026), around 10:00 PM WIB. At the time, the PWI Kudus office only contained one Tribun Jateng journalist named Rifqi Ghozali.

According to PWI Kudus, the PP members’ pretext for visiting their office was to seek clarification regarding a photo illustration uploaded by Tribun Jateng in its reporting on alleged extortion by unnamed mass organisation members against a street vendor (PKL) on Jalan Sunan Muria. “In the incident, several members carried out verbal intimidation and actions that caused distress to the Tribun Jateng journalist, Rifqi Ghozali, who was alone in the office at the time. There was even an attempt at coercion accompanied by threats to make the individual deliver an apology recorded on video,” stated PWI Kudus in its statement obtained by Republika on Wednesday (15/4/2026).

PWI Kudus has condemned the actions of the PP members. “The storming action by Pemuda Pancasila mass organisation members at the PWI Kudus District and IJTI (Indonesian Television Journalists’ Association) Muria Raya office is a misdirected action. All forms of errors related to the photo illustration in the reporting are the full responsibility of Tribun Jateng media and have no connection to PWI Kudus as a professional organisation,” it said.

PWI Kudus added that clarifications regarding mass media reporting should be conducted through mechanisms regulated in the Press Law, such as the right of reply or right of correction. “Not through mobilising masses accompanied by intimidatory actions, whether physical or verbal,” they stated.