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Police fire tear gas at protesters, two police trucks burned
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Protesters insist on remaining on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, near the State Palace on Friday evening as the police fire tear gas in an attempt to disperse the protesters. (JP/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)
P
olice fired tear gas at protesters in front of State Palace shortly after 6. p.m., the hour at which the protesters had been instructed to disperse, while the protesters insisted on remaining on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, near the palace.
The tear gas was fired after several protesters set off fire crackers, ignoring the police call for them to leave the area near the State Palace. Meanwhile, the police prevented protesters from other areas descending on the State Palace.
A least two police trucks were burned by the protesters during the chaos, while several people were taken away from the scene by ambulance. A number of protesters and police officers were reportedly injured in a brawl.
Protesters started throwing stones and bottles at police officers after representatives of the protesters left the State Palace following a meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla. They were reportedly angry that their representatives could not meet President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
The demonstrators were demanding the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja "Ahok" Purnama for alleged blasphemy.
Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian instructed police to stop firing tear gas at the protesters. "I’ve ordered the officers not fire tear gas at the protesters. [...] Let's create peace," he said.
But it seemed that the message from Tito did not reach police officers on the ground as they continued to fire the tear gas, while the protesters at Monas and near the State Palace also kept throwing firecrackers at the police lines. (bbn)
