11 GMBI Members Become Suspects Of Vandalizing The West Java Police

West Java Police Head of Humas, Kombes Ibrahim Tompo. ANTARA/Good Ahmad Rizaldi

BANDUNG - West Java Regional Police Head of Humas Kombes Ibrahim Tompo said 11 members of the Indonesian Lower Society Movement (GMBI) community organization (Ormas) were named suspects for the destruction of facilities at the West Java Regional Police when the action turned violent.

According to him, the 11 suspects were subject to Article 160, Article 170, and Article 406 of the Criminal Code. In addition, there are three other GMBI members who are still witnesses.

"There are also those who help and participate in it," said Ibrahim at the West Java Regional Police, Bandung City, as reported by Antara, Friday, January 28.

According to him, the 11 suspects and three witnesses were part of the 731 people who were arrested by the police after the dispersal of the demonstration which was colored by chaos on Thursday, January 27.

However, according to Ibrahim, the General Chairperson of the GMBI with the initials F who has been arrested, according to Ibrahim, has not become a suspect. According to him, the police are still developing the figures involved.

"We are developing intellectual actors, maybe there are additional suspects that we are investigating," said Ibrahim.

Apart from the vandalism suspects, Ibrahim said that his party also arrested 19 GMBI members who were found to be positive for drugs.

Previously, hundreds of GMBI mass organizations took action in front of the West Java Police, Jalan Soekarno Hatta, Bandung City, since Thursday, January 27 morning. The action caused traffic jams and was also colored by the burning of tires.

In the end, the action turned violent and a number of facilities were damaged, starting from the gate, broken fences, and broken lamps. The action was also marked by the throwing of stones by members of the GMBI mass organization.

The GMBI action was carried out because of dissatisfaction with the handling of the case in Karawang Regency in 2021. However, the police said that the case had actually been processed and transferred to the prosecutor's office.