University of Indonesia Confirms Provocative Individual at Police Protest Was Not Its Student

Jakarta – The University of Indonesia (UI) has issued an official clarification in response to a viral video circulating on social media that appears to show an individual wearing a UI alumni jacket allegedly engaging in provocative behaviour towards law enforcement during a student demonstration in front of the National Police Headquarters on 27 February 2026.

Erwin Agustian Panigoro, Director of Public Relations, Media, Government and International Affairs, stated that the institution, working with the Office of Student Organisations, immediately conducted a comprehensive internal investigation and verification.

He explained that the process included cross-unit coordination and confirmation with student bodies at both faculty and university level to ensure the accuracy of information circulating in the public sphere.

“Based on the results of communication and verification conducted with the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences at UI and a search of the official Higher Education Database (PDDIKTI), we can confirm that the individual appearing in the video is not a student of the University of Indonesia,” he stated in an official statement on Sunday, 1 March 2026.

Further investigation of the official registration system revealed that the individual is an active student at another higher education institution and has no academic affiliation whatsoever with the University of Indonesia.

Erwin emphasised that UI, as a higher education institution, respects freedom of expression and the democratic rights of all citizens, including students, to express their aspirations peacefully and responsibly.

However, UI categorically rejects all forms of provocative behaviour and illegal conduct, as such actions do not reflect the values, ethics and character of the UI academic community, which upholds integrity, responsible critical thinking, and respect for law and public order.

“UI also objects to the unauthorised use of institutional attributes or symbols without permission and without confirmation. Such conduct risks creating public misunderstanding and damaging the reputation of the institution and unrelated parties,” he added.

In light of this matter, UI urged the public to exercise caution when receiving and disseminating information that has not been verified for accuracy. In the digital age, careful consideration of information before sharing is a shared responsibility to prevent misinformation and maintain a healthy and integrity-driven public discourse.