Yogyakarta Police Headquarters Demonstration Stabilised, Three Students Handed Over to University Authorities
A demonstration held in front of the Yogyakarta Regional Police Headquarters today was briefly marred by unrest and damage to the eastern fence of the headquarters. However, the police were able to regain control of the situation, and it has now returned to a safe and stable state.
“We regret that the demonstration turned violent and resulted in damage to the eastern fence of the police headquarters. However, overall, the situation was brought under control by officers on the ground,” said the Head of Public Relations of the Yogyakarta Regional Police, Commissioner Ihsan, in a statement on Wednesday (25 February 2026).
Ihsan said the demonstration was in response to the actions of Bripda MS, a member of the Maluku Regional Police Mobile Brigade, who killed a teenager in Tual, whose initials are AT (14). The police expressed their condolences for the incident.
“We, from the Yogyakarta Regional Police, express our deepest condolences to the family of the victim regarding the incident that occurred in Tual, Maluku. We hope that the deceased will be accepted for his good deeds, and that the family left behind will be given strength and resilience,” said Ihsan.
He expressed his appreciation to the people of Yogyakarta, including the community watch groups, who worked together to maintain public security and order. According to him, the security approach was carried out by prioritizing local wisdom and Javanese cultural values.
During the event, officers briefly detained three students. All three were handed over to the university authorities at 10.30 pm after coordination with the university.
Ihsan denied reports that tear gas or warning shots were fired during the demonstration. Currently, the situation in front of the Yogyakarta Regional Police Headquarters is safe and under control. Traffic flow has returned to normal.
“We would like to emphasize that during the security operation, officers were not armed. The sound heard at the scene came from firecrackers brought by the demonstrators,” he said.
(wnv/jbr)