Yogyakarta Police Headquarters Protest Ends Peacefully, Three Students Returned to Campus

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Yogyakarta Regional Police (Polda DIY) has confirmed that the situation at the Polda DIY headquarters on Tuesday evening (24 February 2026) is now under control, following unrest during a protest related to the assault of a teenager by a member of the Brimob (Mobile Brigade) in Tual, Maluku. The Head of Public Relations (Kabidhumas) of Polda DIY, Commissioner Pol Ihsan, stated that the three students who were briefly detained during the unrest have also been returned to their respective university administrations after coordination. “We regret that the action ended in unrest and resulted in damage to the eastern fence of the Polda headquarters. However, overall, the situation was brought under control by officers on the ground,” said Ihsan, according to a written statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday (25 February 2026). He said that the protest, which initially began as a peaceful expression of aspirations, ended in unrest, accompanied by damage to facilities at the Polda DIY headquarters. Despite the escalation of the situation with an anarchist crowd, Ihsan assured that the police officers on duty continued to prioritise persuasive measures and patience. Local wisdom and Javanese cultural values were also prioritised in handling the situation, he said. Furthermore, the Kabidhumas of Polda DIY stated that they did not use tear gas when dispersing the protesters, and information stating otherwise is untrue. “We reiterate that during the security operation, officers were not equipped with weapons. The sound heard at the location came from firecrackers brought by the protesters,” said Commissioner Pol Ihsan. View this post on Instagram