Jakarta – Police have released 27 students who were arrested Thursday at Jatinegara train station in East Jakarta.

"They were not proven to have been involved in the riots that happened after the protests," city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said.

He said police were still detaining five suspects for questioning. He said the students were from universities in Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

At least 16 people, including students and police, were injured during the riots when protesters damaged nine cars and public property, like the gates to the toll road and the House of Representatives building.

Lawyers of the arrested protesters said police officers Thursday drove them out of the police station where they were accompanying the 27 arrested students.

"We accompanied them from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m and the police suddenly asked us to leave. They said there were too many people in the room," said lawyer Sarmanto Tambunan.

He said he did not know police had released the 27 students Thursday night after he and other lawyers left the city police headquarters. "We are still waiting for the documents that state their release," he said.

Dozens of police raided the base camp of the Tali Geni (Cross Generation Alliance) on Jl. Tebet Dalam, South Jakarta, reported detik.com.

Police broke down the door but did not find anyone in the house. The student activists had abandoned the house on Tuesday. The officers seized leaflets, a loud speaker, books and posters. (ind)