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Police seize large truck used by anti-Ahok protesters
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Hundreds of people demonstrate in front of THE Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office in South Jakarta on Thursday. They carried posters that called on the KPK to arrest Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
( Tribunnews.com/Fitri Wulandari)
T
he police seized on Thursday a large truck loaded with a sound system as well as a number of vehicles owned by musician Ahmad Dhani intended for use in a demonstration in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta.
Police officers stopped the vehicles in front of the Dutch Embassy on Jl. Rasuna Said on their way to the KPK office.
“Imagine if the truck parked on Jl. Rasuna Said. It would be in violation of traffic rules and cause traffic congestion,” said Jakarta Police Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.
The police also arrested eight people, who intended to demand that the KPK arrest Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who was recently questioned by KPK investigators in connection with alleged irregularities in land acquisition in West Jakarta and a city administration agreement with developers in a reclamation project.
“We will question them within the next 24 hours to determine whether there is a criminal element,” Awi said.
Hundreds of demonstrators from a number of organizations, such as the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI) and the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Unions (FSPMI), have demonstrated in front of the KPK office and City Hall in Central Jakarta in the past.
Hundreds of police officers have guarded the KPK office since early Thursday. They are equipped with water cannon to anticipate possible unrest, such as what happened in a previous demonstration. Dozens of trucks carrying police officers were parked along the road near the KPK office.
In response to the protest, which had the slogan “Arrest Ahok”, the governor calmly said: “Am I a bird that they can call to be arrested? I have seen frequent demonstrations. Don’t say ‘arrest Ahok’, but ‘ensnare Ahok’,” Ahok said while laughing.
Ahmad Dhani said he had been phoned by Jakarta Police general crimes director Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti on Wednesday, who advised him that the police would not allow the demonstration to proceed as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had prohibited the staging of demonstrations in front of the KPK office.
He said he was surprised that the President had prohibited demonstrations in front of the KPK office. “Why does the President intervene in demonstrations in front of the KPK?” he added. (bbn)
