Jakarta (ANTARA) - Police officers fired volleys of tear gas to disperse a crowd in Petamburan area, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Several hundred police officers, at around 10:10 a.m. local time, approached the crowd from two opposite directions and deployed tear gas to scatter the protestors blocking KS Tubun Road in Petamburan.

Several demonstrators fled in the direction of the Textile Museum or Tanah Abang Market, while others dashed toward the kampong alleyways in the adjoining areas.

The police detained no less than 20 people.

Several people congregated in front of the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) Headquarters on Tuesday after the General Election Commission (KPU) officially declared results of the 2019 elections.

The massive demonstrations erupted on grounds of alleged fraud during the implementation of the presidential and legislative elections held on April 17 across Indonesia.

The protest proceeded in a peaceful manner, as the protestors partook in iftar, or dinner to break their fast, and performed afternoon and evening prayers at the Thamrin Avenue, where the Bawaslu office was located. Following the prayers, most protestors left the area.

At almost midnight, however, a crowd attempted to approach the Bawaslu building. Security officers then tried to disperse them and chased them until the Tanah Abang area.

Thereafter, over 10 vehicles were scorched in the Petamburan area near Tanah Abang.

In the meantime, the KPU, on Tuesday, at 1:28 a.m. local time, made an announcement of the results of the presidential elections.

The final results showed incumbent Joko Widodo winning 85,607,362 votes, or 55.50 percent, as compared to 68,650,239 votes, or 44.50 percent, of the contenders Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno.

Widodo has declared victory, while Subianto has yet to concede defeat, averring fraud in the election and has decided to challenge the result in the Constitutional Court (MK) in pursuit of justice.

Subianto's supporters had planned to hold a mass protest on May 22.



Translator: sri Muryono, Aditya PP, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019