Protesters turn road in front of DPR into impromptu football field

Jakarta (ANTARA) - International Labour Day (May Day) protesters utilised Jalan Gatot Subroto, in front of the MPR/DPR RI building, as an impromptu football field, creating a unique moment amid the conducive demonstration under drizzly weather on Friday evening. ANTARA observations at the location at 5:00 PM WIB showed several casually dressed participants playing with a plastic ball. They formed two teams, one on the south side and one on the west side. Although only using a plastic ball, they still made small goals from bamboo poles painted green. The activity drew the attention of other protesters, with some joining in the game. After kicking the ball around for a while, the game had to stop when the ball flew into the toll road lane. Meanwhile, protesters from various backgrounds, from workers and students to civil alliances, continued delivering their speeches from the command vehicle. The light rain that continued until 5:30 PM did not dampen the protesters’ enthusiasm to voice their aspirations. The impact of the protest was the closure of Jalan Gatot Subroto towards the west, forcing road users to use alternative routes provided by officials.