People run amok in Surakarta over a drag race stoppage
People run amok in Surakarta over a drag race stoppage
JAKARTA (JP): Only a day after a bloody clash between
villagers in Bali that killed at least three people, a mob of
about 1,000 people rioted in the Central Java town of Surakarta
in the early hours of Sunday.
According to police, at least 10 people were injured, and two
buildings on a Surakarta-Yogyakarta intercity street were damaged
in the incident that erupted after police attempted to disperse
hundreds of spectators of a drag race.
Two cars parked in the police station compound were torched,
while a number of public facilities like phone booths and traffic
signs were also vandalized.
Those injured included four police officers who were pelted
with stones by the mob. Six others sustained similar injuries.
The house of Surakarta regional police chief Col. Zainal
Abidin, which is near the damaged police headquarters, was also
pelted with stones by the mob.
Police said they have detained 50 people for questioning over
their alleged involvement in the riot.
"We'll investigate this incident. We believe there were people
who masterminded this because the mob had already dispersed. But
suddenly, they got together again and went on a rampage," the
police said.
The rampage started at about 11:30 p.m. after police tried to
disperse a crowd of hundreds of spectators of a drag race along
the Jl. Urip Sumohardjo-Jl. Slamet Riyadi street.
According to the police, the unauthorized racing event had
disturbed traffic.
The crowd dispersed but gathered again at about 2:30 a.m. and
began marching to the police station and started to riot.
By 7 a.m., the situation was under control, Zainal said.
Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily said the crowd was offended
because police had dispersed them with batons.
In the Buleleng regency's Banjar subdistrict, it was reported
that 600 police and Army personnel had been deployed to maintain
order in the Cempaga and Kedawa villages.
On Friday, villagers here were involved in a mass brawl
allegedly triggered by a "misunderstanding" between residents of
the two villages.
Bali Police Chief Brig. Gen. Gunawan told SCTV television
station the incident did not happen because of differences in
political views of the residents.
At least three people died, while 18 were injured in the
clash. In addition, four cars, 13 motorcycles and five houses
were burned and dozens of other houses were vandalized.
It was earlier reported that those injured were members of the
Indonesian Democratic Party under Megawati Soekarnoputri.
(har/aan)