Youth brawls unsettle residents in Rawa Buaya, West Jakarta

Residents of Jalan Bojong Raya, Rawa Buaya, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, have expressed growing anxiety over youth brawls occurring in the area. CCTV footage showed two groups of teenagers attacking each other in the middle of the road using sharp weapons before dispersing in the early hours of Wednesday (1/7). M Solahudin, a resident of RW 04 Rawa Buaya, said the community was increasingly disturbed by the incident. He also lamented the recurrence of the brawls, noting that the neighbourhood, together with joint security forces, had already taken anticipatory measures, yet the clashes happened again. “Actually, we had already anticipated this and conducted patrols with the Bhabinkamtibmas, Babinsa, Citra Bhayangkara, and RT and RW security personnel. But now youth brawls have emerged again,” Solahudin said when confirmed in Jakarta on Friday. According to him, Jalan Bojong Raya has often been a hotspot for clashes or brawls. “This location is frequently used as a brawl site. According to the RT head, they are not residents from here, but groups of teenagers coming from outside the area (passing through),” Solahudin said. As a result of the brawl, one teenager was reported to have suffered a slash wound. However, the identity and current condition of the victim remain unknown. Solahudin expressed hope that law enforcement officials would pay greater attention to the area’s vulnerabilities. Residents are also calling for increased patrol intensity to curb the street crime. “So, we as residents, hope that security and law enforcement can give this their attention,” Solahudin stated.