Hajj Burhanuddin Maajid, Jakarta – Members of the student protest alliance of Towards Indonesia's Bankruptcy (Aliansi Gerakan Menuju Indonesia Bangkrut) called on the police to refrain from taking a repressive approach while guarding the rally at HI Roundabout in Jakarta on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Emphasizing the peaceful nature of the protest, the students said they do not pose a threat to security, as nobody was bringing any sort of weapon.
"Please do not take a repressive stance. We are students, not an armed criminal group (KKB). We do not carry weapons. We carry the desire to improve Indonesian people," said UI student Raka Andika at the HI Roundabout area on Friday.
Students shall not be treated as enemies, Raka said, denying the accusation of an orchestrated protest campaign.
"Do not regard us as enemies or criminals. We are part of the community. Our intention is sincere for the Indonesian nation," he said.
The statement came after protesters claimed to have been intercepted by police en route to the protest site.
A representative of the alliance said they had notified the Central Jakarta Metro Police about the rally. According to the chair of the UI Student Executive Board (BEM UI), Yatalathof Ma'shum Imawan, the students have always planned to stage a protest at the HI Roundabout, not the parliament complex.
"We have already informed the police that the protest will take place at HI Roundabout," he said.
According to the students, they were stopped by the police at noon, along the Semanggi to Dukuh Atas areas. The protesters said they were not allowed to continue their journey to the protest site.
Some participants of the protest also planned to perform Friday prayers but were not given access to reach places of worship, according to the chair of the Law Faculty BEM UI Dimas Rumi Chattaristo.
"We have expressed our intention to perform Friday prayers, but no one cleared the way," said Dimas.
The alliance mentioned that the crowd was divided at several points, including around Gelora Bung Karno, the Fairmont area, and near the parliamentary complex. They claimed to be trapped and unable to move due to police vigilance.
The situation nearly escalated into repressive actions, but protesters opted to avoid confrontation and rallied towards the area near TVRI to consolidate, according to the chair of the Biology Faculty BEM UI, Lintang.
"Friends from around DPR have already joined in front of TVRI. Meanwhile, those held back at Fairmont are moving there," said Lintang.
According to Lintang, none of them were arrested, but they viewed the police interception as part of the effort to restrict the students' freedom of expression.
They also emphasized that they had no plans to stage a demonstration at the Parliament building or the Presidential Palace. The focus of the demonstration remains at HI Roundabout to convey their aspirations to the public.
At around 2:30 p.m. local time, the crowd that was previously held back resumed their journey on foot from the Gelora Bung Karno area towards HI Roundabout.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2108250/hi-roundabout-protest-dont-be-repressive-we-are-student