Police drop tolerant approach to protests
Police drop tolerant approach to protests
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta police have promised to take
stricter measures against street demonstrators who have no legal
permission to protest, in the interests of public safety.
"We'll no longer condone such behavior. We're tired of being
too tolerant. We'll take strict action against demonstrators who
have no permits to carry out their activities on the streets"
Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira said
yesterday.
According to the existing regulations, those who want to carry
out any activities on the streets should apply for a police
permit.
Abubakar, who was appointed as the Central Jakarta police boss
two months ago, said that his personnel have adopted a friendly
approach to street demonstrators in recent weeks.
"But enough is enough and this time it went too far," Abubakar
said, referring to Tuesday's demonstration in which three police
officers were injured.
Central Jakarta, home of government offices, embassies and
business and shopping centers, is the favorite place in the city
for street demonstrations.
In the past few weeks, a number of street demonstrations have
taken place in Central Jakarta, involving hundreds of people and
causing heavy traffic jams. They protested several things,
including the escape of tycoon Eddy Tansil from the Cipinang
prison.
Police, Abubakar said, usually asked them to go by vehicle to
the place where they want to deliver their messages or to take up
less of the street.
"We once had to prepare vehicles for the demonstrators in
order to prevent traffic jams," Abubakar said.
Most of the 300 people's behavior during Tuesday's
demonstration was over the top, he said.
"Only few of them obeyed our request. The others insisted on
going to Legal Aid Institute office by walking in crowded lines
on the streets."
The demonstration started at the University of Indonesia's Jl.
Salemba campus and ended at the Legal Aid Institute office on Jl.
Diponegoro.
According to Abubakar, four demonstrators were taken to a
police station for questioning after refusing to hand over
posters and banners to officers.
"All of them, two of whom are private university students,
were released this morning," he said.
Another person, charged with attacking officers by throwing
stones, is still in police custody.
The suspect is identified as Amir Bahar. He claimed to be a
university student of IISIP Jakarta, said Abubakar. These were
the only people arrested. Some press reports yesterday said six
students had been detained.
The demonstrators, commemorating the 40th day after the
Ujungpandang riot in South Sulawesi, were asked to leave the
campus by the university authorities after waving banners and
posters around the campus for two hours. (bsr)