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Students throng in front of House, more flood into Jakarta as protests continue
Thousands of university students from across Indonesia have once again taken to the streets in a continuation of a series of protests against what they perceive to be attempts by the government and the legislature to roll back democracy.
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University students protest against the revision of the Criminal Code (KUHP) in front of the House of Representatives compound on Sept. 23. (JP/Donny Fernando)
T
housands of university students from across Indonesia have once again taken to the streets in a continuation of a series of protests against what they perceive to be attempts by the government and the legislature to roll back democracy.
In the capital, students from various universities, both from within and outside the capital, gathered in front of the House of Representatives compound in Central Jakarta at 1 p.m. on Tuesday to voice demands for lawmakers to halt the passage of a number of controversial bills, including a revision of the Criminal Code (KUHP).
The students thronged in front of the House gates on Jl. Gatot Subroto carrying protest banners and posters with messages that call for the state to be committed to continue the decades-old efforts for political reform.
Students from various universities are now gathering in front of the parliamentary complex's on Tuesday, demanding the gate to be opened @jakpost pic.twitter.com/N721M2kKrb
— Kharishar "Kuka" Kahfi (@kkahfi106) September 24, 2019
Commuter train stations were filled by students from other parts of Jakarta on their way to the demonstration.
At Manggarai station, commuters applauded as students wearing their school jackets passed by, according to a video posted on @jktinfo
At the time of writing, students from several universities outside the Greater Jakarta area were also making their way to the House complex, although some of them claimed to have faced obstacles.
Groups of students on their way to Jakarta from Diponegoro University and the University of Semarang in Central Java reportedly had their buses stopped by police.
Rombongan Undip dan Unnes ketahan di Rest Area 228 A Tol Kanci-Pejagan. Polisi menahan dan mengancam jika perjalanan dilanjutkan, PO bus akan dibekukan. Kami dituduh membawa senjata tajam, padahal membawa senjata tidak, bersikap anarkis juga tidak. #ReformasiDikorupsi pic.twitter.com/UVPWZ8xmbl
— - (@senengdipeluk) September 24, 2019
They eventually continued on their journey after hiring a new set of buses and are currently still headed to the capital.
Asked for confirmation, National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said that police had only "urged" students from outside Jakarta not to join the demonstrations because they were "vulnerable to being used by hardline groups".
He stopped short of confirming that police had tried to turn students back.
Besides Jakarta, students in other cities across the country, including Palembang in South Sumatra, Malang in East Java and Makassar in South Sulawesi have also continued to protest.
#MahasiswaHarusBergerak #MahasiswaBergerak #RakyatDukungAksiMahasiswa #ReformasiDikorupsi #Mahasiswapalembangbergerak#palembang pic.twitter.com/n8UTuCudSo
— sYarif sYahril (@xrm_st) September 24, 2019
In addition to the KUHP bill, the students are protesting against problematic articles in at least four other bills, including a manpower bill, a land bill, a mining bill and a correctional procedures bill. They are also demanding the lawmakers immediately pass a bill on the eradication of sexual violence.
Malang 24 September 2019 #ReformasiDikorupsi #DemokrasiOligarki pic.twitter.com/XgWSQNz1OG
— kucing (@agungtaufiqurr) September 24, 2019
Tuesday’s protest happened at the same time as the House held a plenary meeting during which lawmakers initially planned to pass some of the controversial bills, including the KUHP. After a string of protests since last week, however, Jokowi asked the House to delay.
