Police say they have arrested several people for instigating riots on the Slipi flyover in West Jakarta early this morning and implied that the rioters’ main aim was to sow further chaos in the capital amidst protests against the outcome of the presidential election.
Rioting broke out on the busy flyover at around 2am today as the protesters were heading towards Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. When riot police blocked their passage, the rioters attacked the law enforcers. The rioters were held at bay by the police, who reportedly had assistance from members of the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).
“The [rioters] we arrested are not from Jakarta. They are from outside and they’re not religious school students either,” West Jakarta Police Chief Hengki Haryadi told Detik this morning.
“We have apprehended several rioters. Most of them had breath that smelled of alcohol.”
The protesters are reportedly remaining on the Slipi flyover as police continue to stand their ground this morning.
The police have said they think that the violent rioters from last night and this morning were distinct from the protesters that staged a peaceful demonstration outside the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) office in Menteng, Central Jakarta yesterday. Those protesters are back outside Bawaslu this morning, where they have been largely peaceful so far.
For updates on today’s unrest in Jakarta and which areas you should avoid, follow our live-tweet here.
Election protests boiled over into violent riots since last night in Jakarta. Follow our live tweets for the latest news and updates, including which parts of the capital you should avoid today. Stay safe, Jakarta
— Coconuts Jakarta (@CoconutsJakarta) May 22, 2019
