Three demonstrators arrested

Three demonstrators arrested

JAKARTA: Three people have been named suspects in the theft of
police equipment during a protest outside the People's
Consultative Assembly in Jakarta on Monday.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo said Sudarto, a
student of the University of Indonesia's (UI) school of
mathematics and physics, a driver identified as Abu Bakar, and
Subian, a sound system mechanic, were arrested on Monday after
the rally and were now in police custody.

Prasetyo said the people were charged under article 363 of the
Criminal Code for stealing officer's clubs and article 170 of the
same law for vandalizing the MPR fence.

Defying the security cordon, some 500 people, including
students grouped under the UI Student Executive Board (BEM),
forced their way into the Assembly compound, demanding an end to
the Annual Session on Monday. Police used water canons to
disperse the crowd.

Bull Nationalist Freedom Party (PNBK) chairman Eros Djarot
demanded on Tuesday the release of the suspects on his personal
guarantee, but the police said the decision rested with the
investigators. -- Antara