Police Assert August 27 Riots Unrelated to Freedom of Expression
The Metro Jaya Regional Police are continuing their investigation into the riots of 27 August 2026. Police have emphasised that the riots under investigation have no connection to the process of expressing opinions in public.
“We will not stop here, and we will continue to conduct in-depth investigations into the driving actors and those providing the funds to carry out the riots,” said the Director of General Criminal Investigation of Metro Jaya Police, Kombes Iman Imanuddin, during a press conference at the Metro Jaya Police Headquarters on Saturday (12/9/2026).
Iman stated that in the first cluster, several riot suspects allegedly received funding from a field coordinator, identified by the initials JT. He noted that the amount provided was Rp 40,000 per person.
“Several riot suspects received funding from a field coordinator under the name of Mr JT, with an amount of Rp 40,000 per person. From JT, orders were then placed under the names PKL, KHT (alias HY), and SO,” he explained.
Police are currently tracing the individual identified as the ‘intellectual leader’—the party suspected of ordering the mobilisation of crowds and arranging the necessary funding.
Iman explained that in the second cluster, police discovered a field coordinator with the initials ER. Iman mentioned that ER is a university student in Jakarta who allegedly promised or prepared funds of Rp 70,000 per person.
“Mr ER received orders from a legal entity that we are currently investigating. That legal entity is the one providing the budget and requesting Mr ER to prepare people,” he stated.
Furthermore, Iman noted that the third cluster was uncovered by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation for Women and Children (PPA) and Human Trafficking (TPTO) of the Metro Jaya Police during the handling of a case involving minors in conflict with the law. In that case, police have named three individuals as suspects in an alleged case of child exploitation.
“These suspects mobilised and provided payments or wages to children who were brought in to participate in the riots,” he said.
Iman emphasised that the case being handled pertains to alleged rioting. He stressed that the matter is unrelated to the act of expressing opinions in public.
“We would like to inform everyone that the case we are handling is a riot case; it has no connection to the matter of expressing opinions in public or demonstrations,” he said.
“We always provide service and oversight for the process of expressing opinions in public as protected by law and the state. However, we will never tolerate any efforts that disturb public security and order,” he added.