Four Labor Day Protesters Named Suspects, Arrested by the Police

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Four participants of the International Labor Day protest in Bandung have been named suspects and arrested by the West Java Regional Police. They were accused of causing unrest and acting anarchically during the demonstration.

Three of the four protesters were arrested for allegedly damaging a police patrol car belonging to the Kiaracondong Police Substation parked on Dipati Ukur Street, Bandung. They were suspected of throwing rocks, paving blocks, and bamboo at the police car, even climbing on top of the vehicle and stamping on it.

"As a result, the front and rear windows, left and right side windows, body of the car, rearview mirror, and front lights suffered severe damage," said West Java Regional Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Setiawan in a written statement quoted by Tempo on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

The three demonstrators are charged under Article 2 paragraph (1) of Emergency Law Number 12 of 1951. They face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

In addition, the West Java Regional Police also apprehended a protester with the initials 'MAA'. The police confiscated several weapons such as a folding knife and baton stick from MAA, which were suspected to be used during the demonstration. "For possessing sharp weapons, the West Java Regional Police Criminal Investigation Directorate has named MAA as a suspect," said Rudi.

According to Rudi, at the time of arrest, MAA admitted to consuming the hard drug Alprazolam. After undergoing a urine test, MAA tested positive for benzodiazepine (BENZO) consumption, even though no evidence of narcotics or similar substances was found during the body search.

"The suspect has also been taken to the Bhayangkara Sartika Asih Hospital for an additional urine test as supporting evidence in the investigation process," said Rudi.

Previously, six participants of the International Labor Day commemoration in Semarang were also named suspects. They were arrested along with dozens of other protesters in front of the Governor's Office and the Central Java Regional People's Representative Council.

A joint legal aid team is preparing efforts to suspend their detention. "With coordination together with networks and academics at each campus," said legal aid representative M Safali on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

Jamal Abdun Nashr contributed to the writing of this article.

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