'Post' photographer attacked

'Post' photographer attacked

JAKARTA (JP): A photographer from The Jakarta Post was attacked by a group of drivers at the Wisma Dharmala building parking lot in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Police have since reprimanded the building security guards for not stopping the beating of Arief Suhardiman, who was assigned to cover the handing over of books from the European Commission's Ambassador to the rector of the University of Indonesia.

The photographer missed the event due to time spent arguing with security guards and drivers, who later attacked him.

Arief suffered bruises to the face but was only slightly injured.

Lt. Col. Edi Darnadi, the secretary of the City Police's Crime Investigation Directorate, said: "They were wrong to let someone get beaten up in front of them without doing anything. We cannot condone such a violation of basic procedures," he said of the security guards, who are all trained by the police.

According to Arief and four security guards, the incident began when Arief's car grazed the arm of Tiarlin, a security guard, as the photographer moved his car out of the P1 parking lot as asked by another guard.

After a heated argument, more than five security guards and 10 idle drivers surrounded the photographer.

Two of the drivers then punched Arief in the face, while another security guard, S. Pangaribuan, dragged Arief by the shirt on the ground. (bsr)