August 27, 2026 | 11:12 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Police fired water cannons and tear gas to push back protesters in front of the parliament complex toward Jalan Pejompongan Raya, Central Jakarta, late Thursday, August 27, 2026.
Tempo observed from inside the DPR building that police initially fired tear gas at the crowd outside while occasionally opening the gates. However, the crowd of protesters remained and continued shouting at the officers.
For a command vehicle, police warned the crowd to disperse as the allocated time to protest had expired. "We ask all of you not to resist and to disperse immediately," the police warned over a loudspeaker.
The police then issued a stern warning to those remaining at the main gate, stating that the crowd would face officers directly if they fail to heed the warning, as the police would open the barricade.
About three minutes after the final warning, the police finally opened the main gate and fired a water cannon.
"To all members, close ranks, we are moving out," Central Jakarta Police Chief, Senior Commissioner Reynold Elisa Partomuan Hutagalung, instructed over a loudspeaker.
A convoy of police officers, along with three water cannons and other tactical vehicles, moved out of the DPR building. This push split the crowd into two opposing directions, one toward Cawang and the other toward Slipi.
Tear gas shots dispersed the crowd on Jalan Pejompongan Raya. Tempo observed that some demonstrators splashed water on their faces to dispel the effects of the tear gas. Some fell as they ran away.
As the tear gas began to dissipate, they returned to the police barricade. The distance between the officers and the crowd was about one hundred meters. Occasionally, some from the protesting crowd fired fireworks at the barricade.
Iqbal, a Pejompongan resident, said that protesters had been approaching the street since the afternoon. However, the chaos only erupted after 7:00 p.m. local time, after police attempted to push the crowd back.
"The tear gas was only fired come evening," Iqbal said at the scene.
Two motorcycles were seen burned out near the Pejompongan Police Post during the incident, with local residents seen gathering near the scene.
The protest in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building began around 10:00 a.m. local time, initiated by civil society groups, including the United Pati Community Alliance (AMPB).
They raised two main demands: the ratification of the Asset Seizure Bill and the death penalty for corruptors.
The crowd dispersed peacefully around 12:00 p.m. after holding an audience with lawmakers. As the afternoon approached, a new wave of protesters from all walks of life began arriving at the parliament complex.
Thousands of protesters who remained at the protest site until the evening included women's groups, ride-hailing drivers, college students, and high school students.
When the unrest broke out at night, the protesters were not seen wearing attributes belonging to any civil organizations or campus attire.
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