Denpasar – Plans by Ukrainian nationals in Bali to hold a solidarity action against the Russian invasion at the Renon Square in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on the afternoon of Monday March 1 were dashed by police.
This followed a firm position taken by the Denpasar municipal police and the East Denpasar (Dentim) sectoral police towards the demonstrators.
The Ukrainian nationals had planned to hold a solidarity action demanding an end to the Russian invasion of their homeland at the Bajra Sandhi Monument in Renon Square.
The protesters, who numbered around 50, had already begun to gather at the eastern end of the Renon Square at around 4 pm local time.
But after only 15 minutes, or at around 4.15 pm, the protesters were forcibly disbanded by officers from the Denpasar municipal police and the East Denpasar sectoral police.
Denpasar municipal police operations division head Police Commander I Made Uder and Dentim sectoral police chief Police Commander Tri Joko said that the protest by the Ukrainian nationals did not have a permit.
"This mass action does not have a permit, so we disbursed them and we directed them to the Ukrainian Consulate office", explained Uder.
The protesters, some of which carried Ukrainian national flags, followed the police's directions and immediately disbanded, and left the Renon Square area.
In order to articulate their aspirations, the demonstrators then continued the action at the Ukrainian Consulate on Jalan Gurita I the Pegok area of Sesetan sub-district, South Denpasar. (gie//JPNN)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "WNA Ukraina di Bali Bergerak Tolak Aksi Invasi Rusia di Lapangan Renon, Lihat Aksi Polisi, Tegas".]
