Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – About 1,500 students from various state and private universities rallied Monday at the gubernatorial office in Makassar, South Sulawesi, to protest against the newly-endorsed Legal Education Entity Law (BHP).
The peaceful protest turned into a clash in which a number of students and journalists were injured and 65 protesters were detained by the police.
The rally kicked off at the intersection between Jl Urip Sumohardjo, Jl Andi Pangerang Pettarani and Jl Tol Reformasi. Students blocked the roads and addressed the crowd for around an hour, paralyzing traffic along major thoroughfares in Makassar. Students then continued protesting at the South Sulawesi gubernatorial office.
The gathering, supported by dozens of workers, started peacefully. Then students stormed into the office compound to ask Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo to revoke the BHP law, which they deemed would raise education fees and prevent students from low-income families from continuing their studies.
When a group of student representatives were about to negotiate with gubernatorial office authorities, demonstrators hurled rocks, which fell near hundreds of police officers who were tightly supervising the students' movement. Most of them were angry, and a clash could not be avoided.
Hundreds of fully-equipped members from the elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) unit, the South Sulawesi Police riot control unit and officers from the Makassar city police immediately dispersed the crowd by firing warning shots in the air and tear gas. The protesters fled to Jl Urip Sumohardjo.
Students crowding Jl Urip Sumahardjo then retaliated, throwing rocks and other hard objects at police officers. Police also used a water cannon to disperse the protesters but students continued throwing rocks at them.
The clash lasted more than an hour. Police and students confronted each other for up to a kilometer along Jl Urip Sumohardjo. Police, at one point, sent in reinforcements of up to 1,000 personnel.
The clash ended after student representatives negotiated with Makassar Police Chief Sr. Comr. Burhanuddin Andi. Police eventually agreed to withdraw and students dispersed.
Police are still providing security at the gubernatorial office and the intersection between Jl Urip Sumohardjo, Jl Andi Pangerang Pettarani and Jl Tol Reformasi.
Burhanuddin said police officers were forced to disperse the crowd because anarchy was spreading. The students intended to besiege the office after initially blockading Jl Urip Sumohardjo.
"The (demonstrators') actions disrupted the public order and led to anarchy, so we dispersed them. We don't prohibit them from holding a rally, but we will not let them disrupt the public order," he said.