Police Say Student Protesters Carried Sharp Weapons, BEM Field Coordinator: Not UI Students!

The field coordinator for the University of Indonesia student executive body (BEM UI) protest, Hafidz Haernanda, has stressed that the organisers had urged demonstrators not to bring dangerous objects during the expression of aspirations in Jakarta on Tuesday (18/8/2026). The statement was made by Hafidz in response to findings by the Metro Jaya Regional Police of several sharp objects during the protest. Police found one knife and one machete. Hafidz also stressed that those who brought the sharp objects were not part of the UI students. “Not UI students,” Hafidz said via short message on Wednesday (19/8/2026). He said that from the outset his side had given appeals to the protesters not to bring objects that could endanger the course of expressing aspirations. “We always appeal,” Hafidz said. Previously, the Metro Jaya Regional Police found several sharp objects during the student protest in Jakarta on Tuesday (18/8/2026). The objects found were one knife and one machete.