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Protesters disappointed at Jokowi's no-show
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Hundreds of protesters insist on staying on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, on Friday evening resisting the police's attempts to disperse them, while a vehicle fire continues to burn. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
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rotesters, who had gathered in front of the State Palace, expressed their disappointment that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had not met with their representatives and therefore they insisted on staying at the location past 6 p.m., the hour when they had been instructed to disperse.
After meeting with Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto at the State Palace, a representative from the protesters, Bachtiar Nasir, told the protesters that the minister had offered him to meet with Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
"We are offering a meeting with RI two (the Vice President). Do you want it?" he said. The protesters, who seemed unappeased by the offer, emphatically yelled “No!”
Bachtiar said that Jokowi’s failure to make an appearance was an insult. "The President didn't want to receive us, he has insulted us. What have we done to him?" Bachtiar said before launching a string of expletives toward Jokowi.
But later, Bachtiar and other representatives met with Kalla. However, the protesters were still not happy with the result of the meeting despite Kalla offering his guarantee that the police would speed up their investigation into Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who is accused of blaspheming the Quran.
The disappointed protesters started throwing stones, bottles and mineral water at police officers and tried to break the police barricade and enter the State Palace.
Police shot the tear gas after several protesters set off fire crackers, ignoring the police’s call for them to leave the area near the state place. Meanwhile, other police officers prevented protesters from other areas from heading to the State Palace.
A least two police trucks were burned by the protesters during the chaos, while a number of injured people were taken away by ambulance. A number of protesters and police officers were reportedly wounded after a brawl.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mochamad Iriawan blamed certain provocateurs for inciting the protesters to throw rocks and other objects at police. “The police officers were forced to shoot tear gas because the protesters were provoked into violence,” said Iriawan, but adding that in general the demonstration went smoothly.
The situation calmed after the protesters left the road near the State Palace, with many protesters heading to Istiqlal Mosque. (bbn)
