Jenny Grant – In one of the ironies of Indonesia's tightly guarded National Assembly meeting, 150 local journalists staged a protest on the front steps of the parliament yesterday, angry over military violence against the press.

Police have closed the 16-lane toll road in front of the parliament for two days to prevent thousands of students entering the area following clashes on Wednesday. The military has camped out in the grounds and turned the parliament perimeter into a fortress.

But it was journalists bearing full accreditation with access to the venue who took over the stairs of the assembly for an hour and waved banners denouncing violence against media workers.

The journalists were angry three of their colleagues were beaten up by soldiers when covering a student protest that turned violent on Wednesday. "Journalists are not criminals!" yelled the protesters, some of them recording their demonstration to report later as news.

Farouk, from the Java Post newspaper, said the soldiers had ignored the identity cards all journalists wear to cover the assembly and street protests. "We have to give the military chief a deadline to instruct the military to protect journalists and to give an open apology through radio, press and television," he said to cheers. Armed Forces chief General Wiranto visited the injured journalists in hospital and apologised for the harm the military caused them.

In light mockery of the hundreds of student demonstrations they have covered this year, the reporters yelled out for free tubs of water and demanded a negotiating team be set up. A confused military intelligence officer videoed the protest and said he didn't know how he could use the information.