500 Brimob officers sent to Bima after deadly incident

The National Police dispatched 500 police officers on Sunday from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) division to Bima, West Nusa Tenggara following a deadly incident between local police and protesters at the Sape Seaport, which claimed two lives on Saturday.

“We have sent 500 officers as a backup force,” National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Police reportedly shot dead two protesters when breaking up the demonstration that occupied Sape Seaport, the only seaport connecting West Nusa Tenggara with East Nusa Tenggara.

To avenge the deaths of the two protesters, civilians burned down four district police stations and one police officer’s home. They also destroyed three local administration offices.

Police arrested 47 suspects following the incident.