Who Sprayed Pepper Spray at Students and Police During Protest in Yogyakarta?

Chaos erupted during a student protest at the intersection of Jalan Jenderal Sudirman (Jensud) in Yogyakarta, marked by the spraying of pepper spray. The act was allegedly carried out by a man wearing a ‘Jaga Warga’ vest.

As a result of this action, both students and police officers became victims. The identity of the man carrying the pepper spray remains unconfirmed.

Students Targeted

Mesa Syafitra, Chairperson of the UGM Student Union (SEMA), claimed to be a victim of the pepper spray during the protest at the Jenderal Sudirman intersection, Gondokusuman, on Tuesday (1/9) night, which turned violent. A video of the incident went viral on social media.

In a video uploaded by the Instagram account @mantapfunny, a protester dressed in white can be seen in the middle of a crowd. Suddenly, a man wearing a ‘Jaga Warga’ vest approaches and immediately sprays a liquid onto the protester’s face. After spraying, the man quickly retreated, while the protester in white was seen clutching their face in pain.

Mesa confirmed that the person in white hit by the spray was himself. He stated that the liquid sprayed onto his face was pepper spray.

“I was wearing that white shirt, walking backwards while ensuring no comrades were left behind or held hostage. However, someone in a Jaga Warga vest sprayed pepper spray into my face,” Mesa said when contacted on Thursday (3/9/2026).

“Medical comrades were quick to assist me. Unfortunately, those rescuers are instead being framed as rioters by the DIY Regional Police,” he added.

The Individual in the ‘Jaga Warga’ Vest

‘Jaga Warga’ is a community-based institution in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) established to maintain security, peace, order, and social welfare at the hamlet or neighbourhood level. Operationally, the institution is officially facilitated by the DIY Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP).

When asked for confirmation regarding the spraying video, the Head of DIY Satpol PP, Bagas Senoadverji, admitted he could not yet confirm if the man in the video is an actual member of Jaga Warga.

“I cannot confirm yet whether that is an authentic Jaga Warga member or someone merely wearing the vest. There are many people in society who pretend to wear Police uniforms or claim to be police officers,” he said when contacted today.

“It is possible that someone else is wearing the Jaga Warga vest,” Bagas added.

Nevertheless, Bagas emphasised that his office will investigate the man in the video. “We will conduct an investigation. If it turns out he is indeed a Jaga Warga member, we will take disciplinary action. We must ensure such an incident does not happen again, as the duty of Jaga Warga is to maintain a conducive situation, not to create disorder,” he concluded.

Seven Police Personnel Affected by Pepper Spray

In addition to the students, the DIY Regional Police stated that their members were also hit by pepper spray while securing the protest. Seven police officers were recorded as victims.

This was reported by the DIY Regional Police via their official Instagram account, @poldajogya, in a short video titled ‘Field Facts: Findings of Pepper Spray and Personnel Handling’.

The video highlights an orange spray canister carried by one of the protesters, which is circled in red. “We also report that personnel from the Yogyakarta City Police (Polresta Yogyakarta) were hit by a spray suspected to be pepper spray,” said the Head of Public Relations for DIY Police, Kombes Ihsan, in the video.

The caption stated that seven officers suffered health issues, including shortness of breath and skin irritation, due to exposure to the liquid, which they claim originated from the orange canister during clashes caused by misunderstandings regarding road closures.

Students Refute Police Statement

Regarding the police post, many comments suggested the police statement did not align with the facts on the ground. Mesa Syafitra, Chairperson of the UGM Student Union, explained the actual contents of the orange canister.

“Firstly, I deeply regret this claim. It is both ridiculous and concerning when a state security institution fails to distinguish between an antacid liquid for stomach protection and a chemical incapacitating weapon,” Mesa stated.

“Secondly, scientifically and in practice worldwide, antacid liquids like Mylanta diluted with water are the standard field medical protocol for rinsing the eyes and faces of victims exposed to tear gas,” he continued.

He warned of the “danger of opinion manipulation by the DIY Regional Police,” noting that the impact of the video on social media is severe. “When the false claim that ‘Mylanta is pepper spray’ is spread by a verified police account, it becomes a tool for netizens to legitimise police repressiveness and stigmatise student humanitarian medical teams.”