Police Open Blockade, Protesters Withdraw in Orderly Manner
Protesters from student groups and civil society finally retreated in an orderly manner after police officers lifted the blockade on Jalan MH Thamrin, specifically in front of the UOB Building, Central Jakarta, on Friday (12/06/2026) evening.
Observations showed that the police opened the blockade at approximately 20:13 WIB. Simultaneously, TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) personnel who had been guarding the location began to leave the security point. Once the blockade was lifted, police officers requested that the crowd disperse.
The protesters initially refused and attempted to move forward, demanding a meeting with representatives from the government or the House of Representatives (DPR) to deliver their demands directly.
However, following discussions between representatives of the protesters and the Central Jakarta Police Chief, Kombes Pol Reynold E.P. Hutagalung, the participants eventually agreed to end the demonstration and withdraw from the location gradually.
During the dispersal process, the number of students remaining at the site had significantly decreased. Many students from the University of Indonesia (UI) had already left the location around 18:30 WIB. Furthermore, the majority of those remaining were no longer wearing university blazers; instead, they were seen wearing online taxi driver jackets or ordinary t-shirts, while student representatives in university colours were no longer visible in the protest area.
Although the crowd had not fully dispersed, the situation around the location gradually became conducive. Police officers remained on guard to secure the dispersal process and escort the crowd during their walk-out around 20:36 WIB. They also cleared rubbish left on the streets following the protest.
Tensions briefly flared when TNI and police personnel continued to obstruct the protesters from moving towards the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI) area. Police deployed steel barriers towards the crowd, which the protesters then pushed back.
As a result, brief shoving matches occurred between the police and the protesters. Some individuals also threw empty mineral water bottles towards the police.
Nevertheless, the tension did not last long, and the situation on the ground returned to being stable. However, protesters continued to hold their ground, intending to proceed with their plan to protest in the Bundaran HI area.
It is noted that the protest, initiated by BEM UI, was scheduled to begin at 13:00 in the Bundaran HI area. The demonstration featured five key demands: an end to state budget (APBN) waste, a reduction in the prices of basic necessities and fuel, a halt to the MBG programme and the development of the ‘Koperasi Desa Merah Putih’, an end to militarism in civilian spheres, and a demand for Prabowo to stop evading responsibility and to admit his mistakes.
However, the students’ journey to the protest site was intercepted by police officers. The student group was initially blocked in the Semanggi area on Friday afternoon, where they were directed to protest in front of the DPR Building.
Subsequently, the students attempted a long march towards the Bundaran HI area. However, they were once again intercepted by police and TNI personnel on Jalan MH Thamrin, specifically in front of the UOB Building.