Antara, Jakarta – Clashes broke out near the Yogyakarta Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) building in the Malioboro area on Wednesday night, October 28, involving stone-throwing, firecrackers and fireworks, according to the Yogyakarta Police.
Yogyakarta Police spokesperson Ihsan said authorities believed two groups had gathered in the area that day. The first demonstration took place at Yogyakarta's Kilometer Zero Point in the afternoon, while another group arrived near the legislative council building later that evening.
"The demonstrators had dispersed from Kilometer Zero Point at around 5:30 p.m.," Ihsan told reporters outside the legislative council building on Wednesday night.
He said a group whose identity was unknown subsequently arrived near the building and allegedly threw firecrackers toward parking attendants on Jalan Perwakilan.
"After the crowd had dispersed, we regretted that an unidentified group suddenly arrived at the Yogyakarta DPRD building and provoked a confrontation by throwing firecrackers and fireworks," Ihsan said.
According to Ihsan, the incident led to a confrontation between the group and parking attendants, prompting police officers stationed near the legislative council building to intervene.
"Seeing the commotion, our personnel stationed near the DPRD building came out to disperse the crowd so the confrontation would not escalate," he said.
Ihsan claimed the group resisted the officers, forcing them to retreat into the building, while stones, firecrackers and fireworks were thrown again.
"In response to the crowd's actions, we deployed crowd-control personnel to push them out of Malioboro," he said.
Ihsan said the situation around Malioboro was brought under control at around 10 p.m. after officers pushed the crowd north toward a railway crossing, Jalan Mangkubumi and Tugu Jogja.
"We pushed them further north. As far as I know, they are now around Mangkubumi, with the latest position near Tugu Jogja," he said.
Ihsan expressed concern that the clashes could damage public facilities. He said police personnel remained on standby to prevent further disturbances and maintain security for residents and tourists in the Malioboro area.
"We will ensure our personnel remain on standby here to maintain security and provide a sense of safety for the public and tourists around Malioboro," he said.
The account was based on statements from the police spokesperson. It did not include accounts from demonstrators, parking attendants or other witnesses about what led to the confrontation.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2122581/clashes-erupt-near-yogyakartas-malioboro-during-nighttime-protes