Viral Buskers Ask Foreign Tourists For Money In Bogor Public Transportation, Officers Hold Control

Raids and control of buskers in Bogor City by joint officers from the Bogor City Police, Satpol PP, and the local Social Service Office, Saturday (23/11/2024). (ANTARA/Shabrina Zakaria)

The Bogor City Police together with Satpol PP and the Social Service (Dinsos) have brought order to dozens of beggars and buskers in the city.

Head of the Bogor City Police Criminal Investigation Unit AKP Aji Riznaldi Nugroho revealed that this control was carried out in the aftermath of a foreign tourist complaining about the existence of buskers who forced money on transportation during a visit to Bogor City.

"We are controlling it because there is a Tiktok video uploaded by foreign tourists regarding the coercion of requests for money made by buskers," said Aji in Bogor City, Saturday, November 24, which was confiscated by Antara.

In the video, said Aji, the tourist said that the busker was in Bogor, but did not mention in detail whether the unpleasant incident occurred in the city or Bogor Regency.

"But we will continue to make preventive and comprehensive efforts to take action and control in the Bogor City area. So that Bogor can become a safe, comfortable, orderly and conducive kots," he said.

Today's control is carried out around Jalan Pajajaran to the Sukasari area. From the Bogor City Police data, a total of 20 beggars and buskers were arrested, of which 13 were tested positive for narcotics and will be followed up with the Bogor City Police Narcotics Unit.

"So we did a urine test because there were indications that some of the buskers and street children were using prohibited items. There were no suspicious items found, there were only indications of signs in that direction," he said.

Aji said that most of the buskers who were arrested were indeed taking action in the angkots of Bogor City. Therefore, the Bogor City Police together with a joint team of Bogor City Governments will always control buskers and beggars.

"We will do this gradually every day until there are no more street buskers. We hope that tourists who will spend the end of their homework here can feel safe, comfortable, orderly in this city," he said.

The Rapid Rescue Team of the Bogor City Social Service, Wartiningsih, said that beggars and buskers who were negative for narcotics would be followed up by his party to then coordinate with the Social Service according to the address concerned.

"So it will be returned, in coordination with the local Social Service. To prevent them from returning to the streets, so that they can get help so that they no longer sing and force (to ask for money)," he said.