Police Block Roads To Halau Crowds In Palembang Demanding That Rizieq Shihab Be Released

Barricades block masses of supporters of Rizieq Shihab (ANTARA)

PALEMBANG - The police were forced to blockade four protocol roads in Palembang City, South Sumatra, to block the masses of supporters of Rizieq Shihab who were planning the 1712 action.

The police closed the road at the South Sumatra Polda intersection that led to Jalan Jendral Sudirman, Basuki Rahmad, Colonel H Burlian and Demang Lebar Daun so that traffic on the four sections had jammed.

"We have deployed 600 joint personnel from various units to secure the action of conveying this aspiration. We emphasize that this is not a demonstration," said Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Regional Police, Kombes Supriadi, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 17.

According to him, the aspirations conveyed by the mass action were related to Rizieq Shihab's detention in Jakarta and the masses asked for a thorough investigation regarding the deaths of six Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) troops.

The aspirations have been submitted to the South Sumatra Polda Dirintelkam and will be conveyed to the Police Headquarters following the police SOP, he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters of Rizieq Shihab began to gather on the Jalan Basuki Rahmad section near the side door of the South Sumatra Regional Police since 13.00 WIB. However, the protesters could not approach the South Sumatra Regional Police because they were driven by barbed wire.

Not long after, the crowd moved away towards the Simpang Angkatan 66, about 250 meters from the initial location and made a speech asking for Rizieq Shihab's release.

At around 15.00 WIB, the crowd dispersed so that the police reopened the road blockade.

The South Sumatra Regional Police asked the public not to take similar actions anymore because they were quite dangerous in terms of handling COVID-19.

"Until now, we have never issued a permit for a demonstration because it is a crowd, especially now that Palembang City has a red zone status," he stressed.