Towards Night, Riots Broke Out In The Harmony Area

JAKARTA - Thursday, October 8, just before evening, at around 19.00 WIB, riots began to heat up in the Harmoni area, Jakarta. The protesters who were still holding out attacked the officers on guard. The apparatus still remained at the Harmoni intersection.

VOI reporters have monitored the location, since the afternoon officers have been on guard at this intersection. Approaching sunset, at around 18.00, the situation was conducive. However, just before 19.00, the riot started again.

Both the masses and the security forces retaliated against each other. The authorities emitted tear gas to disperse the masses. The crowd responded by throwing stones and setting off fireworks.

When the rioting broke out, the masses split. Some ran towards Kota, Cideng, and Pasar Baru. The police pursued the crowd while spewing fireworks.

To date, police have arrested around a thousand suspected rioters during a demonstration against the passage of the Job Creation Act. The police said those arrested were members of the anarcho group.

"If there are about a thousand rioters, we will secure it," said Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Yusri Yunus to reporters, Thursday, October 8.

One thousand rioters were arrested in several locations in Jakarta. They are suspected of being involved in the vandalism of public facilities in Jakarta.

"Yes, in the jurisdiction of Polda Metro Jaya everything was secured," he said.

Based on police monitoring, the masses who carried out the destruction were not the workers. Because, many workers have returned to their respective homes.

"So these are all rioters because they were indeed riding these fellow workers to cause riots, many friends have returned but they still survive," said Yusri.