UI Student: Police Blocked Access to Protest Site Without Clear Reason

Police blocked hundreds of University of Indonesia students from reaching the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Central Jakarta on Friday, where they intended to protest. Anandaku Dimas Rumi, chair of the University of Indonesia Faculty of Law's Student Executive Board, stated that the group was stopped near the Semanggi area, preventing them from accessing Jalan Sudirman.

“

We were supposed to turn left toward Sudirman Street (leading to the HI Roundabout), but the road was blocked.

Dimas alleged that police officers offered no clear explanation for blocking the road, despite organizers having submitted prior notification of the demonstration. He further claimed that some students faced difficulties accessing nearby mosques for Friday prayers due to the roadblocks, forcing them to walk significant distances.

The protest, organized under the banner "Indonesia Heading Toward Bankruptcy," was set to include student groups from several universities. Key demands included curbing wasteful state spending, reducing prices of necessities, halting specific government programs, ending perceived militarization in civilian affairs, and urging President Prabowo Subianto to acknowledge policy failures.

“

When we asked them to open the road, they just laughed.

Students are continuing their efforts to reach the HI Roundabout, a prominent protest location in Jakarta. Dimas appealed to the police to reopen access and respect the students' right to peaceful assembly. The protest aims to voice concerns over the government's economic policies and spending.

“

They had to walk from the DPR building area to the TVRI office area.