Abdi Purmono (Kontributor), Malang – Eight student press activists from various universities in the city of Malang became victims of violence while covering the protest against the Indonesian National Army Law, or TNI Law, in front of the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) building on Sunday, March 23, 2025. The demonstration was marred by violence.
The Secretary-General of the Indonesian Student Press Association (PPMI) in Malang, Delta Nishfu, who is one of the eight victims, stated that they were shouted at, cursed, dragged, and beaten by individuals suspected to be a combined security force of the police and military.
Delta recounted experiencing violence while documenting the actions of the demonstrators up close, precisely in the area around the city hall square, using a mobile phone. Suddenly, he was pulled and dragged by someone. The incident occurred around 6:40 PM local time, when the security forces were attacking the demonstrators.
"My hands were bruised, I couldn't ride (a motorcycle) because at the time of the incident, I was dragged, then beaten, and almost taken away (arrested) by the police," Delta told Tempo on Monday afternoon, March 24, 2025.
Delta suspects that the perpetrators who captured, beat, and dragged him were individuals dressed as thugs. He stated that there were at least four perpetrators, all of them well-built.
Seven of Delta's friends also experienced violence. Based on information received by Tempo from several sources within the student press agency, two student journalists from the Student Press Activity Unit (UAPM) of the Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University Malang, suffered beatings while documenting the security forces chasing the demonstrators from the park area across from the city hall. They suffered bruises on the thighs and body.
In addition, a member of the 10th Cluster Student Press Agency (LPM Kavling 10) of Brawijaya University also became a victim of beatings to the head and back. The beatings only stopped after this member of the 10th Cluster showed their press card.
Student press activists also experienced violence as they walked away from the protest location, similar to what two members of the 10th Cluster experienced. Both of them faced repressive actions in front of the Splendid Hotel. Although there were no bloody injuries, one victim suffered swelling in the leg and the other had a bump on the head.
The protest initially proceeded smoothly and peacefully. The group calling themselves Arek-Arek Malang gave speeches and enacted theatrical actions. Their speeches focused on rejecting the TNI Law, which they believe only damages democracy and could return Indonesia to the atmosphere of the New Order era. They expressed their rejection by writing on the asphalt, and by posting flyers on the walls of the Malang City DPRD building.
They also brought various banners containing their demands, such as rejecting the implementation of the TNI Law and holding former President Joko Widodo accountable.
As the demonstrators acted, combined security forces from the Malang City Police Resor, Military District Command (Kodim) 0833/Malang City, and the Malang City Public Order Police Unit appeared to be on high alert.
The situation heated up when the demonstrators began burning various items outside the walls and courtyard of the DPRD building. They also threw firecrackers.
According to the chronology of the demonstration shared by the X legal aid foundation YLBHI Pos Malang account, the demonstration proceeded orderly until around 5:45 PM, coinciding with the call to prayer.
The demonstrators briefly paused the protest to break their fast together until around 6:00 PM. After that, they continued with symbolic theatrical actions for about 15 minutes.
Afterward, the situation escalated further until eventually the police and TNI forces pushed through and combed the entire protest location, and dispersed the crowd around the city hall, specifically on Gajahmada Street (the dividing street between the city hall and the parliament building), Suropati Street, Sultan Agung Street, and Pajajaran Street.
Two platoons of combined personnel conducted a sweep while carrying batons on Gajah Mada Street, Malang City. As a result, several participants of the protest were arrested, intimidated, and beaten.
"Medical teams, the press, and legal support who were on standby at the Kertanegara Street bus stop also experienced beatings, sexual violence, and verbal death threats. Several of the demonstrators' devices and medical equipment were confiscated, as were the legal support's equipment. Meanwhile, a number of friends who had escaped were swept, beaten, and abducted by individuals dressed as thugs," as written by YLBHI Pos Malang.