Celebrities Urge Protesters in Front of the DPR/MPR Building to Avoid Anarchy

JAKARTA - Celebrities Denny Sumargo and Lucinta Luna urged the protesters demonstrating in front of the main gate of the House of Representatives (DPR)/People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Saturday not to be violent.

"Don't be violent, don't damage public facilities, or your aspirations won't be reached," Denny said in an interview on Saturday, August 30.

Meanwhile, Lucinta Luna delivered a speech while climbing the fence to show her support for the protesters. Luna pointed to the helmet of an online motorcycle taxi (ojol) driver she was wearing, indicating that the protest in front of the parliament building was a follow-up to the death of an ojol driver.

According to information gathered on the ground, the celebrities provided drinking water to the protesters. Meanwhile, security forces continued to tighten their ranks while strategizing to prevent the protesters from damaging the fence in front of the parliament building.

The strategy employed was for marines to stand guard at the front of the fence, while Brimob troops and tactical water cannon vehicles prevented the protesters from attempting to damage the fence by spraying water.

The command also used a persuasive speech through loudspeakers, reminding the crowd that the president had directed the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) to take firm action if the demonstrators began to engage in anarchic behavior.

The command conveyed the President's directive, as conveyed by the National Police Chief and the TNI Commander in Hambalang, specifically regarding anarchic actions, requiring the TNI and Polri to take firm action in accordance with the law.

They also urged the public not to be easily provoked by calls that could potentially harm themselves or others.