Burning Tires, Ojol Demo Action Manage

JAKARTA The demonstration of thousands of online motorcycle taxi drivers (ojol) in the Horse Statue area, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (20/5), was filled with tension after a group of participants in the action burned tires in the middle of an oration. The fire that ignited triggered the response of security officers, who immediately asked the masses to extinguish it for safety reasons.

The situation heated up when a water cannon car was alerted and sprayed water at the burning point, prompting a reaction from some protesters. However, tensions were suppressed after the demonstrators killed the fire and the authorities stopped the spray.

Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief, Kombes Pol Susatyo Purnomo Condro, asked the action participants to remain orderly and not take dangerous actions, such as burning tires in the crowd.

"We ask for no arson. Please convey our aspirations, we are ready to guard it," Susatyo told reporters.

After the tension subsided, the action went smoothly again with the speeches made from the four command cars belonging to each driver alliance. Until noon, there has been no integrated coordination between the groups, but all of them remain focused on voicing the main demands: a maximum tariff cut of 10 percent of the applicator.

The police confirmed that security was carried out without carrying firearms. A humanist approach is put forward to keep the atmosphere conducive.

"We have instructed all officers to be persuasive, because our job is not to suppress, but to keep the delivery of aspirations safe and orderly," added Susatyo.

The public is advised to avoid the area around Monas and Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan until the action is complete, given the high concentration of masses in the area which causes road closures and diversion of traffic flow.