Hanaa Septiana, Jakarta – The Surabaya Metropolitan Police are investigating allegations of police officers arresting and assaulting student demonstrators during the 'Dark Indonesia' protest on Monday, February 17, 2025. The case, involving the alleged police brutality, has been formally transferred to the Surabaya Metropolitan Police for further scrutiny.
The student protest, which took place in front of the East Java Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) building on Indrapura Street, Surabaya, saw students expressing their discontent with President Prabowo's policies, which they deemed unfavorable to the general public.
A video circulating online captured a group of police officers escorting a student into the East Java DPRD building, where the student appeared to be subjected to physical assault by a police officer.
This incident was confirmed by Aulia Thaariq Akbar, the Coordinator of the All-Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM SI) of East Java. According to him, who is commonly known as Atta, two students were apprehended by police when the situation turned chaotic.
"The situation was chaotic in the evening, the police were pushing us, and a water cannon was used," Atta recounted to Tempo on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Atta explained that the police immediately seized the two students amidst the confusion. Both students were identified as being from Surabaya National University (Unesa) and Sunan Ampel State Islamic University (Uinsa) Surabaya.
The protesting group, witnessing the incident, immediately voiced their objections and questioned the police's action. However, Atta asserted that the police initially remained unresponsive.
However, Atta added that following lobbying, the police eventually agreed to release the two students. One of the students, however, sustained injuries due to police assault. Until now, Atta has not received any explanations regarding the incident.
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the National Police's Internal Affairs Division (Divpropram Polri) finally spoke out through their X account. The post announced that the East Java Police's Internal Affairs Division has launched an investigation into the police officer implicated in the assault, Adj. First Inspector YT. The investigation concluded that he had committed violations.
At present, the investigation file has been forwarded to the Surabaya Metropolitan Police's Internal Affairs Division for further action. "It's being processed," said the Public Relations Officer of the Surabaya Metropolitan Police, Adjunct Commissioner Rina Shanty Dewi Nainggolan, to Tempo on Friday, February 21, 2024.