Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Around 20 students in the Central Jakarta city of Yogyakarta were arrested by municipal police on Saturday July 26 when they tried to block President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s entourage as it approached the Gedung Agung Presidential Palace in Yogyakarta.

The action by students from the National Student Front (FMN) was held to the north of the Palace. Students began arriving at around 2.14pm then marched on foot or rode motorbikes towards the Palace.

When the protesters began giving speeches just before Yudhoyono’s entourage was to arrive, scores of police immediately moved in and arrested them. A minor clash broke out with students and police pushing and shoving each other.

In the end the demonstrators were arrested and taken directly to the Yogyakarta municipal police headquarters on Jl. Reksobayan some 400 metres away where they were registered and questioned. Posters and flags brought by the students were also seized by police.

A short time later at around 2.50pm, Yudhoyono’s entourage entered the Palace unobstructed. The president and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono along with Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik and ASEAN tourism ministers and ambassadors plan to attend an event titled The 2008 Trial of Civilization Performing Arts on the grounds of the Borobudur temple complex at 5pm. (bgs/djo)

[Translated by James Balowski.]