Jakarta – The National Police have said that 3,862 participants in nationwide rallies in protest against the recently passed Job Creation Law over the past few days have been arrested.
Among the arrested are workers, students and members of what authorities have described as "anarchist" groups, which the police claim have committed acts of vandalism and incitement in order to trigger social unrest.
"As many as 796 of the detainees have been identified as members of anarchist groups," National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono said on Friday, adding that some 1,991 others were students.
He went on to say that 145 protesters who were arrested across the country, including in North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Jakarta, East Java and South Sulawesi, had tested positive following COVID-19 rapid tests.
Twenty-seven protesters apprehended in Jakarta whose rapid tests returned positive had been rushed to the emergency hospital for COVID-19 at the former athletes village in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.
Furthermore, 129 rally participants and civilians in Jakarta were injured during the protests and had been admitted to hospital for treatment, kompas.com reported.
Nationwide rallies in protest at the passage of the controversial omnibus Job Creation Law have turned violent in several parts of the country.
Activists and critics have condemned excessive measures by the police in handling the rallies, saying the force should safeguard and protect the people's right to freedom of expression. (Vny)