Artists and activists have condemned the alleged intimidation by authorities of a punk band that led to the removal from streaming services of its song, whose lyrics criticize rogue police officers abusing authorities, with the act seen as harming the rights to express ideas.

On Thursday, punk band Sukatani from Purbalingga, Central Java posted a video on their Instagram account apologizing for their song, “Bayar, Bayar, Bayar” (Pay, Pay, Pay) from their 2023 album Gelap Gempita, which was “created for police officers that violate regulations” such as through bribery and extortion.

The song includes lines that translate as “Reporting a lost item? Pay the police! Want to become a police officer? Pay the police! Want to commit corruption? Pay the police!”

The band’s producer and guitarist Muhammad Syifa Al Ufti and vocalist Novi Citra Indriyato also revealed their faces and real names in the video. The punk band always wears full-face masks and their stage names–Alectroguy and Twister Angel, respectively–in every performance.

They also urged social media users who have recordings of the song to delete them and to remove all videos featuring “Bayar, Bayar, Bayar”, warning that anything that happens to anyone found with the record “will no longer be our responsibility”.

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