Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Indonesia's West Java Regional Police have revealed the involvement of a group with anarchist leanings in the wave of demonstrations that erupted at the end of August, which escalated into riots and caused widespread damage.
West Java Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Setiawan confirmed that four individuals tied to the movement have been arrested. "They adhere to anarchist ideology, a belief that rejects government authority," Rudi said in a written statement.
He explained that the group's motivation stems from deep dissatisfaction with daily social conditions. "Their disappointment has continued to grow and harden over time," Rudi noted. This frustration, he added, drew them to the doctrines promoted by anarchist ideology.
According to Rudi, the group has also attracted sympathizers from diverse backgrounds, including teenagers and students. Beyond that, they have reportedly established links with similar groups abroad, which have provided them with financial support.
"In essence, anarchist ideology is defined by opposition to the government and destructive tendencies," Rudi said. "This is not my assumption but the result of investigations conducted in line with legal procedures."
Even so, he emphasized that the group's beliefs have not yet escalated to the level of violent extremism. "What drives them is more about disappointment, poverty, and the sense of injustice they experience, rather than a radical impulse to sacrifice lives," he explained.
Earlier, police had named 26 suspects in connection with acts of vandalism and arson targeting government offices and public facilities.
Rudi said the perpetrators used Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs, propane bombs, firecrackers, stones, and other weapons during the unrest. The announcement was made in a press release on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.