Police get tough on demos

Police get tough on demos

Damar Harsanto and Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The police took stern action against anti-U.S. demonstrators
on Wednesday, arresting at least five protesters and beating
others when they refused to leave.

"They are free to express their views, but that doesn't mean
they are free to commit a crime," Jakarta Police spokesman
Sr.Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said here on Wednesday.

He told The Jakarta Post that the police would take firm
action against any form of protest which could lead to anarchy
and disrupt public order.

Anton said police had detained six protesters for public order
offenses during Wednesday's rallies. Four were students grouped
in the Jakarta branch of the Association of Islamic Students-MPO
(HMI), who are accused of tearing up the U.S. flag in front of
the U.S. Embassy.

"Tearing up a flag, which is the national symbol of a state,
is a crime. This crime is punishable by four years imprisonment
according to Article 142a of the Criminal Code," he explained.

Police also detained two other protesters for possession of a
machete and pickpocketing during Wednesday's rally.

A group of 30 students from Attahiriyah University, Jakarta
were physically removed by police officers when they refused to
leave.

Another group from the Indonesian Youth Movement were guarded
by the police to ensure they would not get closer to the embassy
compound.

Police based their firm action on the law enacted on October
26, 1998, during the administration of former president
Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.

Articles No. 9 to No. 18 in the law set out the procedures
required for holding a protest. The law states, among other
things, that people wishing to launch a protest should submit a
letter first to the police three days before the planned protest.

It also states that no protests are allowed in the
presidential palace, places of worship, military installations,
hospitals, airports, railway stations, bus stations and other
vital installations.

Anyone who violates the law faces one year imprisonment.

Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil said that all
demonstrations should be carried out in accordance with
prevailing laws.

"Security officers should not be hesitant to take firm action
against protesters breaking the law," he said after briefing
district military commanders from all over the country here on
Wednesday.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has stressed that security officers
would take stern action against demonstrators breaking the law.

The police intensified their efforts on Wednesday to enforce
the law. They established eight camps near the U.S. Embassy.

They also brought in two more water canons and placed them in
strategic positions.

Ranks of police in full riot gear stood on alert in front of
the barbed wire.

Anton also said that the police had increased its personnel to
guard the capital from any destructive acts.

Beno Kilapong, the commander of the Jakarta Police Mobile
Brigade, said security personnel at the U.S. Embassy had been
increased in anticipation of escalating protests.

"There have been signs that more protests will be staged in
the coming days," Beno told The Post, adding that Tuesday's clash
between police and protesters could trigger another wave of
protests.

Beno said the police had added three more companies to the
existing three standing by at the embassy.

Police also increased its number of officers guarding the
British Embassy at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.

People in the vicinity of the British Embassy were shocked by
a blast at about 3:30 p.m., which caused some panic with people
believing it was a bomb blast.

Police, however, said the blast was in fact a controlled
explosion by the bomb squad on a package that was suspected of
containing a bomb.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) insisted on
Wednesday that it would continue to protest the U.S.-led attacks
in Afghanistan.

"We will continue our rallies until the government realizes
our demands to sever diplomatic ties with the U.S.," Habib
Muhammad Rizieq said following a two-and-half-hour meeting with
the Jakarta Police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Adang Rochjana.

"During our informal talk with Pak Adang, we came to no
agreement with the police on whether to call off a search for
foreigners or our plans to attack U.S.-owned assets," he said.

Habib, who was accompanied by six FPI members, met Adang on
Wednesday to ask for clarification on a clash between police and
FPI protesters on Tuesday.

During the meeting, police allowed the FPI to proceed with its
protests but they should be conducted in accordance with
prevailing law.