Students from Various Universities Throng Jalan MH Thamrin Towards Bundaran HI

Jakarta - A crowd of demonstrators consisting of students from various universities continues to grow and has now packed Jalan MH Thamrin heading towards the Bundaran HI area. Initially, the crowd on Jalan MH Thamrin was dominated by students from the University of Indonesia (UI). However, the number of participants continued to swell after students from other campuses joined in. They were seen walking and some riding motorcycles to join the ranks of students already at the location. Hundreds of students carried various attributes and posters while voicing their aspirations. As of now, the crowd remains held back as officers tighten security on Jalan MH Thamrin leading to Bundaran HI.

Previously, the Metro Jaya Regional Police, together with elements of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), deployed a total of 4,151 joint personnel to escort and secure the expression of opinions by several student groups in Central Jakarta on Friday. The Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Police, Commissioner Budi Hermanto, stated that the deployment of personnel was carried out to ensure the activities of voicing aspirations proceed safely and orderly. “The Metro Jaya Regional Police respects the rights of citizens to express their opinions in public. The presence of personnel in the field is to provide service and security so that activities run safely, orderly, and do not disturb other members of the public,” said Budi. He detailed that the thousands of joint personnel consisted of 3,651 police officers supported by 500 TNI personnel. In addition to deploying personnel, the police have also mapped out several anticipatory measures to address the dynamics of the situation on the ground.