Those Who Were Fighting Because Of Anies Baswedan

Clash between contra and pro Anies groups in front of City Hall (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The City Hall of DKI this afternoon was suddenly crowded. Two community groups staged demonstrations. One group has demands that DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan resign from his post. Meanwhile, another group defended Anies.

The pro Anies group had already gathered at the City Hall of DKI, both around the courtyard and in front of Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan since 13.00 WIB, the place reserved for them to act.

Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Kombes Heru Novianto said that this group was joined by the Bang Japar mass organization. They are scheduled to only hold the Prophet's birthday at the Fatahillah Mosque, City Hall.

"The (pro) masses were invited to the City Hall to carry out the Prophet's birthday. Currently, the maulid activity is still running," Heru said when met at the location, Tuesday, January 14.

"They (the pro masses) should not have taken action," he added.

However, the pro masses unfurled a number of banners with narrative defending Anies around Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan. They also took the command car and parked in front of City Hall.

At around 14:15 WIB, the group against Anies appeared from the direction of the Tugu Tani, dressed completely in black and wearing a typical demo ornament complete with a command car.

The group against Anies gave a speech at the Horse Statue (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

The plan was that they wanted to voice their demands in front of the City Hall, but were directed to the horse statue by the police because the pro Anies crowd had already been around City Hall.

"We have taken steps and guaranteed that the opposing masses do not clash with the pro masses and do not take any anarchist action," said Heru.

When the counter crowd passed right in front of City Hall, the atmosphere became even more chaotic. The police formed a line to confront the two masses from the center.

Throwing bottles during the action (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Yells were thrown by both parties. Ignited with emotion, the pro crowd threw a number of bottles of mineral water. A traffic cone blocking a bicycle lane was also thrown at a contra mob passing by on the Medan Merdeka Selatan road.

"Yes, no, don't throw around. They have their own right to express their opinion. To the Ormas (pro mass) please go inside and carry out the maulid until six in the afternoon," Heru exclaimed from the top of the mass decomposing car.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Heru Novianto asks everyone to calm down (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Demanded but didn't want to meet Anies

The contra Anies group which was led by activist Permadi Arya (Abu Janda) and PDIP politician Dewi Tanjung started a speech in front of the Horse Statue, to be precise at Monas Southwest Cross, at around 14:45 WIB.

The activity began with singing yells that cornered Anies. The orators took turns voicing their aspirations. When asked by reporters, Dewi Tanjung said that they only had one demand, namely hoping that Anies would resign from his post as the number one person in DKI.

Generally, the protesters want to meet and have a direct dialogue with those they demand. But this is not the case for the demo this time. The contra Anies group didn't even want to meet the governor.

"Anies doesn't need to find us. The important thing is that he wants to step down from his position," said Dewi.

The group acting on behalf of the United Voice of the People of Jakarta Mobile Alliance considers Anies unable to carry out his duties as the Governor of DKI. So that he had to resign from his position.

"So, these are all elements of society, there is no organization whatsoever. This is all combined, including the residents of DKI who were flooded yesterday," said Dewi.

"We think his performance is not good, blame too much on others, blame his subordinates, but do not dare to take responsibility and seem to wash hands," he added.

Protesting without a negotiation process meant that Anies had very little chance of their demands being heard. However, Dewi remains confident that her party can still make Anies step down from his position.

Dewi Tanjung joins the demonstration to bring down Anies (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

"There is no hard effort. Even President Soeharto can be overthrown, why not a governor? The people, when they move, anything can happen," said Dewi.

Even so, it is possible that Dewi and her colleagues will continue their demands through the constitution, both to the DPRD, the Ministry of Home Affairs, to President Joko Widodo.

Emotional contest

During the speech, one of the pro Anies groups passed the Horse Statue area with a flag going to City Hall. The contra group who saw them got emotional and threw insults at each other. Not long after, the police came to separate.

Some time later, the voice of a pro Anies group speech could be heard through a loudspeaker. It turned out that the pro group wanted to meet the contra group at the Horse Statue.

Anies pro group about to move to the Horse Statue (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

I don't know where the news is, the pro groups think that one of their colleagues was persecuted and detained by the contra group.

They were intercepted by the police on guard. Heru explained that the information was not true.

"Comrades, please return to City Hall. It turned out that there was a miscommunication. The police said none of our colleagues were arrested," exclaimed the orator.

Meanwhile, the contra groups continued their oration. Before finishing the demonstration, they performed a theatrical action by throwing tomatoes at a man wearing a mask with the face of Anies Baswsdan. Their demonstration finished at around 16:40 WIB.