Police Deploy 5,955 Personnel to Secure Student Demonstration in Jakarta

Police have deployed 5,955 joint personnel from the Metro Jaya Regional Police, Central Jakarta Metro Police, and sectoral police stations to secure a protest in Jakarta on Monday (15/6).

According to Antara, Central Jakarta Metro Police Public Relations Section Head Iptu Erlyn Sumantri stated that the protest was being conducted by students from various universities on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, in front of the DPR/MPR RI Building, and on Jalan Kwitang Raya.

Traffic management in the area, she said, would be situational, depending on the number of demonstrators on the ground.

Police have urged all members of the public wishing to express their aspirations to comply with the established administrative procedures so that activities can proceed safely without disrupting public order.

Meanwhile, Jakarta is also hosting a state guest today, German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Steinmeier met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara. Afterwards, he is scheduled to visit the Istiqlal Mosque and the Jakarta Cathedral, as well as try out the Tunnel of Friendship that connects the two houses of worship.

Last week, student protests also took place in Jakarta. A planned rally originally intended for the Bundaran HI area was blocked by security forces. Based on observations last week, the student demonstrators were held in the Tosari area, not far from Bundaran HI.

Waves of student and civil society protests have also occurred in several cities since last week, including in Bandung on Thursday (11/6), Solo on Friday (12/6), and Yogyakarta on Saturday (13/6).