Thalita Dewanty, Andi Muttya, Keteng Pangerang, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) have highlighted allegations of excessive use of force by police in handling the demonstrations in Jakarta on Thursday August 27 and Friday August 28.
The large-scale deployment of tactical vehicles and the use of tear gas, which is considered to have violated procedures, are suspected to be the main triggers for the escalation of tensions leading to the burning of public facilities in the Slipi area of West Jakarta.
Based on observations in the field, crowd control equipment such as water cannons, heavy vehicles such as Rimueng, Wolf and Barracuda were deployed inside and around the House of Representatives (DPR) building complex.
"The readiness of such equipment in such numbers and types demonstrates the high level of security implemented for the August 27, 2026, demonstrations", said Kontras Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya at the Kontras office in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, on Monday August 31.
Procedural violations
Kontras and TAUD found at least five instances of tear gas being fired around Jalan Palmerah Utara up to Pejompongan.
Arya highlighted that these actions violated internal police procedures because the tear gas was fired directly at the crowd, not into the air.
In addition to the issue of crowd control weapons, there were also indications of arbitrary arrests, mistreatment and torture.
"These actions violated the principles of proportionality, legality, and necessity as stipulated under National Police Chief Regulation Number 8/2009, National Police Chief Regulation Number 1/2009, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Indonesia has ratified under Law Number 12/2005", he said.
Cycle of destruction
Excessive actions by the authorities is considered to have triggered a chain reaction among the crowd, culminating in the burning of a police post and motorcycles at the Slipi Petamburan intersection in the early hours of Friday August 28.
Arya believes the mob violence stemmed from repressive actions by officers in responding to the demonstration.
He said that the handling of the situation on the ground demonstrated a cycle of escalation that began with the use of force to disperse crowds, leading to tensions and ultimately to the destruction of certain objects.
"With this of course we are still investigating, who carried out the arson and also the destruction of public facilities and property belonging to residents", he said.
Earlier it was reported that several community groups and students held a demonstration in front of the DPR Building on Thursday.
At least four groups expressed their aspirations with different demands, namely the United Pati Community Alliance (AMPB), the United Depok Community Alliance (AMDB), the People's Challenge Alliance Movement (GERAM) and the Madura Volunteers Guarding President Prabowo's Program (RMP4).
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "KontraS dan TAUD Duga Ada Pelanggaran Prosedur dalam Pengamanan Demo 27 Agustus".]
