MAKASSAR - Dozens of people suspected of being rioters during a demonstration against the postponement of the 2024 election and the extension of the presidential term that ended in chaos were arrested by the police after being forcefully dispersed by security forces in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
"From the push when they threw stones at the members, we have secured approximately 10 people," said the South Sulawesi Police Chief Inspector General Nana Sudjana after a coordination meeting at the Kalla Toyota show room, Jalan Urip Sumoharjo, Makassar, as reported by Antara, Monday, April 11.
However, the number of suspected rioters who were arrested by members, he said, could still increase. This is because the officers continued to comb the field, because there was still a flurry of student action gathering in campus areas such as UNM, Unismuh and UMI Makassar, which officers wanted to disperse.
The riots in the student demonstration were allegedly triggered by certain groups of people throwing stones at the fence and the South Sulawesi DPRD office. The perpetrators have been warned, but the perpetrators have not heeded it.
"We have warned them (students) to stop the throwing, because it will damage the government offices and the council, but they don't care," he said.
"Inevitably we do encouragement, but we convey persuasively, but they don't listen. We have to use tear gas," said the Kapolda.
Currently, conditions at a number of points such as the flyover area, Urip Sumoharjo and Andi Pangeran Pettarani roads, said Nana, have started to become conducive, traffic flow is starting to run smoothly.
Previously, students were involved in clashes with security forces when they tried to break into the fence at the South Sulawesi DPRD office. Even though the local DPRD leadership has accepted and will follow up their demands regarding the election polemic and other social issues to the central level, they still do not budge.
Because the actions of certain groups of people would damage public facilities, the police immediately took decisive steps to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas, but they were hurled with stones.
"At this time we are still continuing to identify (the perpetrator is suspected to be involved). If the officer who was injured there has been no report coming in," said the former West Java Regional Police Chief.
Meanwhile, the number of people who took to the streets during the demonstration, said the Kapolda, was estimated at more than 2,000 people.
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