Semarang Man Arrested by Police for Throwing Cat Off Bridge

A man’s act of throwing an orange cat, known locally as ‘Si Oyen’, off the Banjir Kanal Timur (BKT) bridge in Semarang City has led to his arrest by the police. Before being taken into custody, footage of his actions went viral on social media. The Head of Public Relations for the Semarang Metropolitan Police, Chief Police Commissioner Riki Fahmi Mubarok, stated that the suspect was detained by the Gayamsari Police for further investigation. In a statement on Wednesday (24/6), Riki explained that the suspect admitted to recklessly discarding the cat out of frustration. The animal had reportedly defecated on his bed. Riki elaborated that before disposing of the cat, the suspect had attempted to find its owner by posting a photo of the animal in his local neighbourhood association WhatsApp group. However, no one came forward to claim ownership, leading the suspect to make the decision that subsequently went viral. The whereabouts of the discarded cat remain unknown, as does the identity of its owner. Police are still investigating whether any criminal elements are involved. The five-second video recording of the incident previously went viral on social media, triggering a wave of condemnation from netizens. The footage drew attention after being uploaded by the Instagram account @yayasan_rumahsinggahclow on Tuesday (23/6). In the comments section, many netizens criticised the man’s actions. The recording shows a man carrying an orange cat wearing a collar before throwing the animal off the Kartini Bridge into the BKT at night. The cat was seen writhing in the air before falling. Police moved swiftly to follow up on the viral video, identifying the suspect as a 44-year-old man with the initials W, a resident of the Gayamsari district in Semarang City.