Jakarta – Former gang leader Hercules, along with members from his New Indonesia People's Movement (GRIB) visited the Jakarta Police headquarters on Friday to clear his name following the erection of provocative campaign banners in several areas around the capital.

The banners suggest that Jakartans should vote for Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Basuki "Ahok" Purnomo in the gubernatorial election runoff, slated for Sept. 20, if they want a "peaceful" Jakarta. Hercules' photo and name (albeit incorrectly spelled) both feature on the banners. Hercules said that despite GRIB support for Jokowi, they and Jokowi's campaign team had not put up the banners.

Hercules said that he suspected the banners were a political frame-up, to be used later as evidence to the poll supervisor of dirty campaigning. He added that someone was targeting him as a scapegoat, as he had long been associated with thuggery.

Hercules said that although GRIB was an organization with political interests, its members did not pressure anyone into choosing a certain candidate. "Everyone has the right to chose their leader, either [incumbent] Fauzi Bowo or Jokowi," he said.

Tensions flared briefly when the group, using three minibuses and Hercules' private car, arrived at police headquarters. Police prevented most of the GRIB members, who wore red berets and camouflage, from entering the headquarters building. Only Hercules, his lawyer and 10 of his men were allowed to go in and meet with Jakarta Police chief, Insp. Gen. Untung S. Rajab.

Untung said everyone had the right to state his or her opinion, but investigating the case was not part of his institution's authority.

"To determine whether the banners constitute a campaign violation or a black campaign is the job of the Jakarta Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu Jakarta), not the police," he said. (aml/swd)