Chronology of Ojol Driver Killed by Tactical Vehicle and Subsequent Protest at Brimob Headquarters

2 days ago 8

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Grab online motorcycle taxi (ojol) driver was killed when he was crushed by a tactical vehicle (barracuda) of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) during a protest demanding the dissolution of the House of Representatives (DPR), which ended in chaos on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Here is the chronology of the incident:

Thousands of protesters from various groups were protesting in front of the DPR building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday afternoon. The demonstration initially went peacefully, but towards dusk, the protesters did not disperse as required.

The police began to pressure the crowd to disperse, causing the protesters to be pushed towards Gerbang Pemuda and Penjernihan I street. There were riots in these two locations. Tear gas fired by the officers was met with stone and bottle throwing.

At 7:25 PM WIB (Indonesian Western Time), a police tactical vehicle suddenly drove swiftly without paying attention to the gathering crowd on Penjernihan I street, right in front of the Bendungan Hilir Flats. As a result, two ojol riders wearing jackets were seen falling and being crushed by the tactical vehicle.

The two who were crushed were ojol drivers from Grab named Affan Kurniawan and Moh Umar Amarudin. Affan died, while Umar was injured and had to undergo treatment at the hospital.

An eyewitness named Kevin, a flat resident, said the barracuda crushed the victims who had fallen in the middle of the road. "There was a motorcycle taxi driver who fell and was hit. But the car did not stop; instead, it continued forward and crushed the victim," Kevin told Tempo on Thursday night, August 28, 2025.

Kevin recounted that initially, the authorities held back the demonstrators in the area near the gas station in Pejompongan.

Based on the video recording received by Tempo, the tactical vehicle was seen continuing to drive even though the victims were lying on the ground. Some protesters were seen trying to chase and stop the vehicle.

In addition to running over the demonstrators, the police also fired tear gas towards the flats. "Even the residents on the tenth floor could still smell the tear gas," said Kevin.

Drivers pass by a tactical vehicle of the barracuda and a riot vehicle at the border checkpoint between Depok and Jakarta on Jalan Raya Bogor, East Jakarta, Tuesday, July 6, 2021. The joint forces of the Indonesian National Police and the Indonesian National Army prepared tactical vehicles to assist in the blockade during the emergency micro-scale public activity restrictions in Java-Bali. ANTARA FOTO/Asprilla Dwi Adha

Drivers Visit Brimob Headquarters

Hundreds of ojol drivers visited the Headquarters of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, on Thursday night, as a protest against the death of Affan and the injury of Umar.

The General Chairperson of the National Ojol Coalition, Andi Kristiyanto, said the presence of motorcycle taxi drivers at the police headquarters was a reaction to the death of their colleague, who was crushed by a police tactical vehicle 'barracuda' on Thursday night, August 28, 2025.

In addition to going to the Brimob headquarters in Kwitang, the ojol drivers crowded the Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital to visit the deceased victim. "They urged the police, especially Brimob, to take responsibility," Andi said when asked by the media.

According to him, the police tactical vehicle that crushed the motorcycle taxi drivers immediately fled after the incident. This condition angered the protesters who saw it, causing them to chase the vehicle. "The one being chased entered the Brimob Mako Kwitang," Andi said.

Riot at Brimob Headquarters

Several protesters threw stones at officers guarding the Brimob headquarters in the Kwitang area of Central Jakarta on Friday morning, August 29, 2025, around 09:30 AM.

According to the Antara report, the crowd kept trying to approach while throwing hard objects, such as wood, at the officers. The crowd was also provoked by saying words aimed at luring the officers to come out and chase them.

Meanwhile, dozens of Brimob personnel built barricades with shields and other equipment on the left side of the Brimob Mako. The officers tried to push back the participants who continued to throw objects at them.

The action was a reaction to the death of the online motorcycle taxi driver due to being crushed by the Brimob's barracuda. Previously, security personnel had blocked the traffic flow towards the Brimob headquarters on Friday morning.

The blockade was carried out following an ongoing protest on Friday morning in front of the Brimob Mako. The blockade was carried out at Tugu Tani. Drivers who wanted to go to Kwitang would be redirected to Cikini.

Based on observations on the ground, traffic in the Cikini and Menteng areas was less busy than usual. The streets were empty of the usual weekday traffic.

Police Question 7 Members of Brimob

The Head of the Professional and Security Division (Propam) of the Indonesian National Police, Inspector General Abdul Karim, said that seven members of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Mobile Brigade (Brimob) are currently being questioned about the incident involving the Barracuda that hit two online motorcycle taxi drivers.

"Currently, seven perpetrators are undergoing the questioning process," said Abdul in Jakarta on Friday, August 29, 2025.

He stated that the seven members of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Mobile Brigade were inside the tactical vehicle that hit the ojol drivers during the protest that turned violent. Abdul said that they are currently being questioned and asked for further information.

These seven members, he said, each bearing the initials of police commissioner C, police 2nd sub-inspector M, chief brigadier R, 1st brigadier D, 2nd brigadier M, senior patrolman Y, and senior patrolman D. "These seven people were inside the vehicle," he said.

Abdul added that the questioning process is ongoing and that the investigation into who was driving the tactical vehicle is still underway. "What's certain is that these seven people were inside the vehicle. We are investigating their roles, which we do not yet know," he said.

Statement from the Palace

The State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, who is also the spokesperson for the President of Indonesia, asked the police to immediately investigate the incident of the Brimob's barracuda tactical vehicle that crushed the online motorcycle taxi driver until he died when being brought to the hospital.

"We specifically ask the police to remain patient and take security measures with caution, including our special attention to the incident," said Prasetyo Hadi last Thursday.

Pras, a popular nickname for Prasetyo, stated that the Palace continues to coordinate with all parties, including the police, to maintain a conducive situation. "No matter how small an incident is, we all certainly regret it and don't want it to happen," he said.

Prasetyo apologized for the unintended incident.

Chief of Police Apologizes

On Friday, August 29, 2025, the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, visited the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital morgue to see the body of the online motorcycle taxi driver killed by the Brimob's barracuda and meet with the family.

Listyo expressed his apology to the family for the incident. "We express our condolences and apologies from the institution," Listyo told the journalists.

He also apologized to all online motorcycle taxi communities and associations after one of their colleagues became a victim. "I also apologize to all the large ojol families," Listyo said.

Listyo arrived at the morgue at 00:30 and left at 01:45 AM. His eyes appeared teary as if he had just cried.

Based on a video received by Tempo, Listyo hugged one of the family representatives of the deceased. "I'm sorry," Listyo said while bowing and shaking hands with the victim's family.