Hery Winarno, Jakarta – A worker fell and was trampled during a protest action commemorating Labour Day on Friday May 1. The trigger for the incident was when demonstrators from the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) attempted to break through a police blockade in order to approach the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

The incident took place at around 4.30pm when the front ranks of the ABM demonstrators where stopped by police in front of the offices of the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat. All of a sudden the workers surged forward breaking through the rope barrier put in place by police.

The police – who were on guard behind the rope barrier – were forced back by the demonstrators. Blows were exchanged and bamboo sticks used to fasten banners were thrown from the direction of police. Police responded by hitting several demonstrators and throwing the bamboo sticks back into the crowd.

It was during this brawl that a woman worker from ABM in the front ranks of the protesters fell. She was even trampled on by police and her own colleagues as they surged back and forwards. Fortunately, her colleagues were able to rescue her and she was not seriously injured.

The brawl continued for around five minutes and as a result, the lanes on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat from the area of Harmoni and Thamrin were completely closed to traffic. Police also deployed a water cannot and Mobile Police (Brimob) officers to fortify the barricade. (lh/iy)

[Translated by James Balowski.]