PWI Kudus Condemns Storming of Its Office by Pemuda Pancasila Youth Group Members
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUDUS – The Indonesian Journalists’ Association (PWI) of Kudus Regency has condemned the storming of its office by members of the Pemuda Pancasila (PP) mass organisation. The incident is believed to be related to an AI-generated illustration product uploaded by Tribun Jateng media on its social media account.
PWI Kudus revealed that its office was stormed by PP members on Tuesday night (14/4/2026), around 22:00 WIB. On that night, the PWI Kudus office only contained one Tribun Jateng journalist named Rifqi Ghozali.
According to PWI Kudus, the pretext for the PP members’ arrival at their office was to demand clarification regarding a photo illustration uploaded by Tribun Jateng in its reporting on alleged extortion by rogue mass organisation members against a street vendor (PKL) on Jalan Sunan Muria.
“In the incident, several members carried out verbal intimidation as well as actions that caused anxiety for the Tribun Jateng journalist, Rifqi Ghozali, who was alone in the office at the time. There was even an attempt at coercion accompanied by threats to make the individual deliver an apology recorded in video form,” stated PWI Kudus in its statement obtained by Republika on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
PWI Kudus condemned the actions of several PP members. “The storming action by Pemuda Pancasila mass organisation members at the PWI Kudus Regency Office and IJTI (Indonesian Television Journalists’ Association) Muria Raya is a misdirected action. All forms of errors related to the photo illustration in the reporting are the full responsibility of Tribun Jateng media and have no connection to PWI Kudus as a professional organisation,” it said.
PWI Kudus added that clarification on mass media reporting should be carried out through mechanisms regulated in the Press Law, such as the right of reply or right of correction. “Not through mobilising masses accompanied by intimidatory actions, whether physical or verbal,” they stated.
According to PWI Kudus, the presence of several members at their office on Tuesday night, including carrying out intimidatory actions, has caused feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and discomfort for the PWI Kudus organisation and its members. “PWI Kudus Regency strongly condemns all forms of thuggery, intimidation, and threats against press personnel in carrying out journalistic duties,” they declared.
“PWI Kudus Regency urges the Pemuda Pancasila mass organisation to take responsibility for the psychological impact caused, and requests that parties indicated to have carried out terror and intimidation to issue a public apology,” PWI Kudus added in its statement.
The illustration uploaded by Tribun Jateng on its social media account, which is suspected to have been the issue for the PP members in Kudus, was titled “Viral in Kudus, Rogue Mass Organisation Member Extorts Ice Mix PKL, Demands Rp30 Million Peace Money”. In the cartoon illustration, there is a man wearing a peci using attributes identical to the PP uniform. The man with a grinning facial expression appears to be threatening or intimidating a PKL selling using a motorcycle.