Yesterday there was a horrific incident of mob justice in Pondok Aren, South Tangerang. The mob caught a motorcycle robber and, after beating him to a bloody pulp, covered him in gasoline and set him on fire. The most shocking thing is that several of the people involved took photos of the incident and posted them on Twitter.
Such incidents of mob justice are not uncommon in Indonesia, and generally everybody who participates in such collective violences is able to walk away without ever being charged with a crime.
Will that be the case with this latest murdering mob? Probably. The Pondok Aren Police say they are trying to find the culprits but admit that it could be difficult.
The head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at the Pondok Aren Police, Inspector General Agung S Aji, said they were investigating to find out who in the mob was the first to suggest that the robber, who remains unidentified, should be set on fire.
“We condemn vigilante actions by our citizens. It makes it complicated for the police to develop the case. But we will find out who did it,” Agung told Kompas on Tuesday.
Indonesia’s courts have affirmed that vigilantism is a crime and that those involved in mob justice are legally accountable for their actions. But those laws have been rarely enforced in the past.
