A student rally protesting the recent surge in goods prices and a proposal for Presidential term extension dispersed in an orderly manner in Central Jakarta on Thursday.
The rally was held near the Horse Statue (Patung Kuda) – National Monument (Monas) area in Central Jakarta.
As ANTARA observed, students from a number of universities in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) gradually left the National Monument area starting at 4:45 p.m. local time.
Earlier in the afternoon, at 2:30 p.m., they delivered a speech in front of the Horse Statue on Medan Merdeka Barat Street, in front of the Sapta Pesona Building.
Several representatives from villages also delivered speeches and voiced their demands using loudspeakers perched on the top of vehicles.
During the demonstration, the Student Executive Board of the University of Indonesia (BEM UI) conveyed seven demands, including rejecting any extension of the Presidential term.
In addition, BEM UI also raised the issues of the soaring prices of basic goods and economic inequalities. For almost 2.5 hours, the students demonstrated in an orderly manner.
Afterward, the students gradually left the Horse Statue area through Medan Merdeka Selatan Street while singing national anthems.
For smooth dispersal, the students were escorted by police officers.
Earlier, the Jakarta Police had deployed about 9,915 joint personnel around the House of Representatives (DPR RI) building area, as well as the Patung Kuda – Monas area in Central Jakarta to monitor the students’ protest.
“(The joint personnel) consisted of police officers, who are assisted by Indonesian Military (TNI) elements, such as the Jakarta Regional Military Command (Kodam Jaya) and the Jakarta provincial Public Order Agency (Satpol PP),” Jakarta Police’s public relations officer, Chief Commissioner Endra Zulpan, informed.
Of the total joint personnel, at least 1,440 were from Kodam Jaya, Zulpan said.
Source: Antara News