Students held for shouting at police

JAKARTA (JP): Police officers briefly detained 54 students of private senior high school for allegedly shouting "abusive words" at two traffic policemen here.

The students of SMA Fransiskus II high school reportedly shouted at the police officers who were ticketing a motorist at a traffic circle near the Monas Park in Central Jakarta early Wednesday afternoon.

Upon hearing the shouts, one of the officers, Chief Sergeant A. Poerwantho, immediately stopped one of the two buses which were transporting the students to a number of the city's museums on a field trip. He then escorted the bus to the City Police headquarters.

"The students shouted too many harsh words, including 'Police are craving for money' at us," he said.

At the headquarters, 10 of the students admitted that they had shouted, but denied directing abusive language at the policemen.

"We only shouted at our own friends in the other bus behind us," Mia, one of the detained students, said.

The other 44 students were released immediately after questioning, but the 10, whose identities were noted down, were required to stay and do a series of physical exercises before being released in the evening. (bsr)