SETARA Institute Applauds National Police for Successfully Securing Recent Protests

The Chairman of the National Board of the SETARA Institute, Hendardi, has expressed appreciation for the performance of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) in successfully guarding and maintaining the process of public expression during various recent demonstrations, including the protests on 27 August 2026.

Nevertheless, Hendardi has called on law enforcement to investigate and take decisive action against certain mass organisations or community groups that engage in violence, intimidation, and the obstruction of demonstrators or masses expressing their aspirations.

“Regarding recent demonstrations, the performance of the Police deserves appreciation as it has been relatively better in guarding and maintaining the process of public expression in various recent protests compared to the handling of demonstrations at the end of August last year, which resulted in casualties on both the side of the public and officers,” Hendardi stated in his remarks on Friday, 4 September 2026.

Hendardi emphasised that the professional, proportional, and rights-respecting approach towards citizens’ constitutional rights must be maintained by the Police. However, he noted that such appreciation must be accompanied by firmness against all forms of violence, intimidation, and obstruction against demonstrators, regardless of the perpetrator.

“The Police must not allow non-state actors to use mass force to control public space or implement a sort of ‘street mechanism’ to confront citizens who are exercising their constitutional rights,” he asserted.

He also urged the police to seriously investigate elements of mass organisations or specific groups that may be involved in the security or handling of demonstrations. If such involvement is indeed organised, he stated, the public has the right to know who is driving it, who is ordering it, who is financing it, and for what interest.

“The investigation must not stop at those on the ground. The Police must uncover the possibility of parties organising, provoking, or even acting as the intellectual authors behind such mobilisations,” he said.

“In every large mass action, there is always the possibility of infiltration or parties arriving later to hijack the situation. Therefore, riots must not be generalised as a representation of the entire mass of demonstrators who are expressing their aspirations peacefully,” he added.

Furthermore, he stated that the Police must ensure that the resolution of all cases is conducted professionally, transparently, and based on evidence. The Police possess investigative instruments, including CCTV footage, citizen-recorded videos, digital footprints, and witness testimonies.