Antara, Batam – Riau Islands Police and Barelang Police arrested a total of 43 people for allegedly committing violence against officers and vandalism during a protest in front of the Batam BP Office on Monday, September 11, 2023, related to the Rempang island fiasco.
"43 people from the mass demonstration against the relocation in front of the Batam BP Office were arrested. A total of 28 people were detained by the Barelang Police, while 15 other people were apprehended by the Riau Islands Regional Police," Barelang Police Chief Sr. Comr. Nugroho Tri Nuryanto said in Batam on Tuesday, September 12.
Nugroho said that five of the 28 people tested positive for drugs. Three of them tested positive for the use of marijuana and two others tested positive for the use of crystal methamphetamine.
The government's plan to relocate 16 villages on Rempang Island, Batam City, continued to be opposed by the local community. Thousands of people protested outside the BP Batam office on Monday.
The demonstration turned chaotic as the crowd destroyed the office's fence and threw stones. Police fired tear gas. Nugroho said 22 joint personnel were injured, consisting of 17 members of the National Police, three personnel of the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), and two personnel of BP Batam's security unit (Ditpam). Two personnel were treated at the hospital and one of them underwent surgery.