Police Release 21 People Detained Ahead of Jakarta Protest

Polda Metro Jaya has released 21 people who were detained ahead of a demonstration planned by the University of Indonesia’s student executive body (BEM UI) on Tuesday (18/8).

The individuals were detained after being found carrying prohibited items such as firecrackers, flares and bottles suspected of being intended for Molotov cocktails.

“These 21 people have been released,” said Polda Metro Jaya Head of Public Relations, Commissioner Budi Hermanto, to journalists at Polda Metro Jaya on Wednesday (19/8).

Budi explained that in handling this matter, the Polda Metro Jaya Law Enforcement Task Force applied a preemptive education approach. This means that law enforcement is the last resort to be taken.

“We prioritise prevention and providing education to people who are carrying the wrong items,” he said.

Budi also confirmed that the 21 people who have now been released were not part of the demonstrators or students.

“These 21 people were not part of the participants expressing opinions or aspirations in public. So they came after hearing about the activities for expressing aspirations. If there were to be a commotion, riot, chaos, and so on, they would also join in the disturbance. So their aim was to join in when there was a disruption to public order,” he said.

In addition, Budi said that two other people who were also detained in connection with the discovery of a knife and a machete have also been released.

It is known that the police had detained a man with the initials AN for carrying a knife and an ambulance driver with the initials MR after a machete was found in his vehicle.

“Their legal status is still as witnesses. For the knife, it is believed that the person concerned had it left in his bag after carrying out community service programme activities,” he said.

“For the ambulance driver, this was indeed provided by the ambulance company for the journey from Sukabumi to Jakarta, but it was not used for any other purposes,” he continued.