Student Protesters Remain on Jalan MH Thamrin into Friday Evening

Jakarta - Thousands of university students staging a protest in Jakarta remained on Jalan MH Thamrin towards the Bundaran HI roundabout and had not dispersed as of Friday evening, despite the demonstration exceeding the 6 p.m. Western Indonesia Time deadline. The crowd had yet to move from the security forces’ blockade location as of 7.30 p.m. WIB. Joint personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the National Police were still overseeing the protest, which was originally planned to take place at the Bundaran HI roundabout. The demonstration, which began at 2.30 p.m. WIB, had briefly heated up several times as students attempted to force open the blockade and push towards the roundabout. However, security officers thwarted these attempts, and the situation remained generally under control. As of 7.30 p.m. WIB, officers were still allowing the students to hold their protest. Earlier, the Metro Jaya Regional Police explained that they had not received any official notification regarding the student rally, despite information about the plan circulating on social media. The Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Police, Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto, stated on Friday that the police had conducted checks across several jurisdictional units and relevant directorates to verify the existence of such a letter, but none had been received as of Friday afternoon. ‘As of 5.34 p.m. WIB, we have checked with the Depok Metro Police, the Metro Jaya Intelligence and Security Directorate, and the Central Jakarta Metro Police. We have not received any notification letter regarding today’s expression of aspirations,’ he said.