Jakarta Police Explain Viral Video of TNI Member Detained During Protest

Jakarta Police have responded to a viral video that depicted a member of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) being questioned after being detained by police during a protest. The incident occurred in front of the Indonesian House of Representatives on Thursday.

Kombes Budi Hermanto, Head of Public Relations for the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, explained that the situation arose from a misunderstanding. He stated that the dense crowd of protesters made it difficult for officers to identify individuals from different institutions.

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A misunderstanding in the field conditions. Coordination between institutions has been carried out to resolve this issue.

"A misunderstanding in the field conditions. Coordination between institutions has been carried out to resolve this issue," Budi told reporters on Saturday. He elaborated that the chaotic conditions and the large number of people made it challenging to recognize each officer's identity, leading to the TNI member, who was in civilian attire, being briefly searched and questioned.

Budi emphasized that the matter has been coordinated with the TNI Headquarters. He affirmed that the presence of TNI members during protests is part of inter-institutional synergy aimed at maintaining the capital's security. The video had circulated widely, showing the TNI member carrying a handy talky and displaying his military identification card.

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Yes, under conditions that were indeed crowded in the field, the situation and conditions made it difficult for us to recognize each other.