Police Investigate Five For Attacking Officers on Nov 4 Rally

Jakarta, 09 Safar 1438/09 November 2016 (MINA) – National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian has said an investigation was being carried out on five people who were detained on Monday evening by the Jakarta Police.

According to Antara, the five were detained for allegedly attacking police officers during a massive rally on Nov 4.

“There are five people who are being detained and questioned now, because pictures showed them attacking officers,” the General said, after attending a meeting where President Joko Widodo gave directives to some 600 police officers, here on Tuesday.

The police would investigate whether the five detainees were linked to certain figures who might have told them to commit the violence.

“As we noticed, the rally was initially peaceful, but later in the evening, there were attacks from the right side,” he said.

Earlier, President Jokowi asked the Indonesian Police to conduct firm legal enforcement and not to hesitate in imposing it to any small groups, organizations or figures.

“Don’t hesitate in imposing firm legal enforcement. It must not be allowed that a big institution like Polri (Indonesian Police) hesitating to impose it on any small groups, organizations or figures,” the president said, while giving directives to 602 high-ranking police officers, here on Tuesday.

Clear and firm legal enforcement will make the country strong, and it is in the hand of the police, he added.

“Polri, as a big institution having 430 thousand members, must not hesitate in carrying out firm legal enforcement,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to every police officer for professionally guarding the Nov 4 massive rally which was staged peacefully.

However, the president expressed sympathy to 18 police officers who were injured during a clash incident that occurred in the evening of the rally.

“I think it should be dealt with through firm legal enforcement,” he said.

He also reminded that for a massive rally like the Nov 4 rally, there must be information regarding the exact data on the number of participants, so the security authorities could deploy officers in accordance with the need. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)