Aep Sopandi, Bandung – A total of 48 tear gas canisters were found around the campuses of Pasundan University (Unpas) and Bandung Islamic University (Unisba) on Jalan Tamansari, Bandung, following clashes on Monday night. The canisters were discovered by cleaning and security staff while clearing the campus area on Tuesday morning.
Unpas security officer Rosid said the campus was beginning to return to normal. Since the morning, staff had been cleaning up the aftermath of the unrest. During the incident, the campus served as an evacuation point for injured students.
"We only opened the gates to evacuate victims as instructed by the leadership, purely for humanitarian reasons. The incident happened at around 11:20 p.m.," he said.
Rosid explained that during the evacuation, several students inside the campus came under tear gas fire from security forces. As a result, 12 students fainted. The incident also shattered the windows of a mosque near the Unpas building, while a motorcycle parked outside the campus was reported burned.
"A total of 48 tear gas rounds were fired. Twelve students fainted due to exposure. The evacuation point was only at Unpas," Rosid said.
As of this report, police have yet to issue an official statement regarding the decision to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas into the area of the two Bandung campuses.
Several social media posts showed students panicking as security forces fired tear gas into the campus grounds. A video uploaded by the account @info.mahasiswaunisba showed clouds of gas in the dark campus area, while students shouted, urging security forces to stop repressive actions.
Earlier, a demonstration near the Unisba campus on Monday night turned violent, causing riot officers to enter the campus area. The situation sparked panic among students, lecturers, and nearby residents. As of Tuesday morning, campus security personnel were still guarding the gates of both Unpas and Unisba.