Kapolda: Protesters Arrested For Preventing Provokers

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JAKARTA - Metro Jaya Police Chief Inspector General Pol Karyoto explained that the police's decision to secure several students who wanted to participate in the demonstration on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Friday, was a preventive measure to avoid provocation.

"At the beginning, there was information that it was feared that among students there were people who intended to riot," said Karyoto on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta, Friday (20/10).

He said that the action participants whose intention was only to protest would definitely only carry a banner of demands or similar objects and comply with the command of the field coordinator.

Meanwhile, if action participants are caught carrying toothpaste, which is usually used to protect the eyes from irritation when exposed to tear gas, it shows bad intentions.

"Then, it means that there are bad intentions, then we secure them to be accompanied," said Karyoto.

He also said that some of the students who were detained were still minors and it was not yet time to participate in such demonstrations.

However, Karyoto emphasized that all students who had been detained had been released after being questioned by the police.

Previously, the police arrested 12 students who arrived at Gondangdia Station, Central Jakarta, before they could participate in a group of protesters who gathered at Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Friday afternoon.

The 12 students were released and returned to their colleagues at the location of the action at 19.00 WIB after a dialogue between the action participants and the main expert of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Joanes Joko. The police said they had been taken to the police station.

Chaos occurred when the released student was brought back to his colleagues by Joanes and the police.

One of the students who was released was then given the opportunity to present an oration. In his oration, he admitted that he was intercepted with his colleagues after arriving at the station.

Protesters from BEMs from various universities began to gather and express their opinions in front of the Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue at around 15.30 WIB. After exceeding the deadline for expressing opinions at 18.00 WIB, they dispersed from the location of the action at around 19.45 WIB.