Jakarta – Chaos erupted at a demonstration by the Greater Jakarta and Greater Bandung Student Executive Councils while they were waiting for the Supreme Court’s verdict in the case of [Golkar Party chief] Akbar Tanjung in front of the Supreme Court building at 3.40pm.

The chaos started when students and police started pushing and shoving each after students tried to break through the police barricade. The police respond [violently] and as a result students fled blindly trying to save themselves from pursuit buy uniformed and un-uniformed police.

It is still now known at this time how many demonstrators were injured as a result of the clash. Based on the observations of the Tempo New Room, following the student action which was held at the entrance to the eastern side of the Supreme Court building, students had withdrawn to the offices of the Department of Home Affairs. A number of students appeared to have suffered head wounds. Two ambulances arrived to take away those who were injured.

Meanwhile the police have reformed in front of the gates of the Supreme Court. Furthermore, even before the clash occurred, anti-riot troops had already been deployed. Following the incident, the head of the Central Jakarta police, Sukrawardi Dahlan, was still trying to calm down both the police officers and students. “We are here to make it safe, there is no use in students and police pushing and shoving each other”, he said though a loud speaker.

[Translated by James Balowski.]