TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A protest held under the banner #IndonesiaSekarat ("Indonesia Is Dying") outside the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya turned violent on Friday, June 26, with police detaining dozens of demonstrators, including a female activist.
The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Surabaya said police forcibly detained 24 protesters during and after the demonstration.
"Participants were forcibly arrested around the protest site," the rights group said in a statement on Saturday, June 27.
Based on Tempo's observations, the demonstration began at 03:30 PM WIB. At around 06:00 PM WIB, protesters began pushing against security barriers surrounding the Grahadi State Building, the official residence of the East Java governor.
KontraS representative Zaldi Maulana said police surrounded the demonstrators after about two hours of speeches. Officers then sealed off the western side of Gubernur Suryo Street with a water cannon, effectively containing the crowd.
At around 07:00 PM WIB, police dispersed the protesters by deploying water cannons and firing tear gas, forcing the crowd to retreat toward a nearby fountain monument.
"After pushing the crowd back, police began arresting demonstrators," Zaldi said.
According to Zaldi, several plainclothes officers had been stationed around the monument before chasing and detaining protesters, whom he said were arrested indiscriminately and without clear justification.
He alleged that the detainees were first taken into the Grahadi compound before being transferred to Surabaya Police Headquarters. Police also continued sweeping the surrounding area, detaining several protesters after the demonstration had dispersed, he added.
Surabaya Police Chief Commissioner Luthfie Setiawan said officers had initially attempted to direct protesters toward Balai Pemuda, a nearby public space.
"They continued damaging property. It endangered both the public and themselves. Therefore, we were forced to take firm action by pushing the crowd back," Luthfie told reporters.
He did not directly address KontraS' claim that 24 demonstrators had been detained, saying only that police were still collecting information and questioning those taken into custody.
"The data collection and interrogation process is still ongoing. Those found to have committed violations will be processed in accordance with the law," he said.
Hanaa Septiana contributed to the writing of this article.
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