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Police accused of using too much force against protesting students nationwide
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Protesters run after the police shoot tear gas at them in front of West Java Legislative Council in Bandung on Sept. 24. Earlier, about 2,500 protesters voiced their objection to a bill revising the Criminal Code, an agrarian reform bill and a correctional facility bill. They also demanded the government revoke the revisions of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law. JP/Arya Dipa (JP/Arya Dipa)
P
olice nationwide are being accused of using excessive force while handling the student protests in cities across the country on Tuesday, inciting public demand for investigations into the alleged brutality.
In North Sumatra, dozens of students suffered injuries after a clash between protesters and police broke out during a rally in front of the provincial legislative council (DPRD) complex in Medan on Tuesday afternoon.
Pintor Sitorus, a member of the DPRD North Sumatra from the Gerindra Party, was reportedly beaten by police intelligence agents when the former attempted to record a video of the police’s apparently excessive measures when handling student protesters.
The secretary of the Gerindra faction in the DPRD, Gusmiyadi, claimed that he had witnessed the incident and he said he had tried to stop it by explaining to the officers that Pintor was a DPRD member.
“The police intelligence personnel who had [allegedly] been beating Pintor eventually stopped afterwards,” Gusmiyadi said, adding that his colleague suffered wounds to his ears and other parts of his body as a result of the attack.
Gusmiyadi said the case had been reported to the National Police’s internal affairs division (Propam). DPRD North Sumatra speaker Baskami Ginting said he deplored the incident, adding that such arbitrary persecution was unjustified and calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
North Sumatra Police have detained at least 53 people they said they suspect to have been provocateurs during the protests, which later turned into clashes that damaged facilities, including seven police vehicles.
