Jakarta – Some 300 people from several labor organizations staged a rally Tuesday in front of Jakarta Police Headquarters, demanding the release of eight workers who were detained following an ugly demonstration on May 3.

Rally coordinator Ilham Syah said the eight were not guilty of damaging public property as charged.

"We have evidence and people who can bear witness to the fact that our friends, who are now being detained by city police, were caught on the bus, on their way home from the rally. They were not involved in any kind of violence, "Police could just place them under house arrest instead of detaining them for questioning," Ilham said.

Speaking to the protesters, the head of the city police's general crime unit, Sr. Comr. M. Djaelani, said, "We have records of the eight committing violent acts".

He said police were through with questioning the eight workers and it was now up to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office. Although they were unsatisfied by Djaelani's explanation, the protesters left peacefully.