Police pursue alleged masterminds and financiers behind Aug. 27 riot

Jakarta’s Metro Police are still pursuing the alleged masterminds and financiers behind the unrest that followed a demonstration on Aug. 27.

“We remain committed to investigating the intellectual masterminds, mobilisers and financiers behind the unrest,” Metro Jakarta Criminal Investigation Director Iman Imanuddin said at a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Iman said the violence was not carried out by the demonstrators because the protest had already ended when the disorder began. He said an unidentified group had suddenly appeared, not to express demands but to commit acts of destruction. Police suspect the group had been mobilised.

“

We remain committed to investigating the intellectual masterminds, mobilisers and financiers behind the unrest.

Investigators are examining who organised the crowd, who may have provided funding and who directed the rioters. Iman described the activity as organised and similar to unrest seen in other incidents. He said police had not found indications that the perpetrators belonged to a particular community or mass organisation, based on witness accounts gathered during the investigation.

Polda Metro Jaya has so far named 47 suspects in connection with damage to public facilities and assaults during the unrest. Three are suspected of damaging CCTV equipment outside the DPR/MPR building.

“

Suddenly, an unidentified group appeared, not to express demands, but to carry out destruction. So this was a group of rioters. Although they appeared in separate sections, we suspect there was mobilisation.