Students Clash With Police in Jakarta for Second Week Running
Huge groups of university students protested again for the second week running around the House of Representatives compound in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Monday, clashing with security officers until late into the night.
The protesters demanded that the government reject a controversial Criminal Code bill and annul the newly passed Corruption Eradication Commission law. They also wanted the government to pass through a long-awaited anti-sexual violence bill.
Police deployed 26,000 officers to stop the young protesters from getting close to the House compound. Razor wire fences and concrete barriers were installed on Jalan Gatot Subroto in front of the House compound at 9 a.m.
Clashes between the police and the protesters started at around 4 p.m. Police forced the demonstrators to retreat to the Palmerah Train Station by firing at them with tear gas.
The demonstrators fought back with bare hands and bamboo sticks. They pelted anti-riot trucks with stones and fireworks and tried multiple times to get through the police barricade.
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