Police Name 42 Suspects Of Riots And Prisons In Surabaya

Dozens of suspects in the riots were taken at the Surabaya Police Headquarters. (ANTARA)

The riots that hit Surabaya on August 29, 2025 led to the determination of dozens of suspects. The East Java Regional Police confirmed that 42 people had been named suspects, including those involved in the arson and looting at the Grahadi State Building.

"What we found from the results of the investigation is that there are allegations, once again I repeat there are allegations, efforts by groups trying to create riots," said Head of Public Relations of the East Java Police, Police Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast, as quoted by ANTARA.

Of these, nine suspects were handled directly by the East Java Regional Police. They consisted of one adult and eight children suspected of preparing Molotov cocktails and throwing them to the west side of the Grahadi State Building, causing a fire.

Meanwhile, the Surabaya Police named 33 other people as suspects. Six of them are still children. They were involved in arson and looting in Grahadi, the Tegalsari Police Station, 29 police posts, to several public facilities.

In law enforcement operations, the police had secured a total of 315 people, almost half of whom were children.

Kombes Pol Abast emphasized that investigators are still exploring the role of other groups suspected of having helped regulate the riots, both in Surabaya and in other East Java areas.

"These groups must be distinguished from the protesters who conveyed their aspirations correctly," he asserted.

From the results of the initial investigation, the police have identified the existence of the same group involved in the riots in Kediri and Tulungagung.