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ANDUNG: A rally launched by corporate employees outside a court during a trial broke violent in Bandung on Wednesday, leaving a plain-clothes police officer a victim of a beating by protesters.

One-hundred-and-sixteen employees, who were facing work termination with Bekasi-based PT Kanefusa Indonesia, held the rally, demanding the court reject Kanefusa’s lawsuit for the dismissal of its employees, who resorted to a strike in June following an impasse in their demand of salary increase.

The rally turned chaotic as the on-watch police officers were reported to have been provoked into tough handlings. Bandung Detective chief Adj. Snr. Comr. Ujang Bachtiar who broke in to settle the crowd received blows and fell to the ground. Another police officer also suffered a cut to the face.

“Thirteen people have been detained for questioning,” Bandung Police deputy chief Adj. Snr. Comr. Rhinto Prastowo said.

Meanwhile, a rally spokesperson said that the company should not have the right to dismiss because striking in demand for a payment rise was guaranteed by the law. — JP