Arriving at the provincial police office at 1 a.m. local time, Hamengkubuwono’s visit was marked by the "Gending Raja Manggala" chant, traditionally played during royal visits.
“I respect your actions. What you seek is part of our shared goal for democracy in Yogyakarta, which I also support,” the Sultan told the protesters.
He emphasized, however, that the democratization process must remain peaceful, highlighting that the province has a long-standing tradition of non-violence in its political development.
“I hope democratization is conducted positively, to educate us all, including myself,” he added.
The Sultan also offered his condolences for the death of 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, an online motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police vehicle during a protest in Jakarta on Thursday.
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Hamengkubuwono said he had persuaded Yogyakarta Police Chief Inspector General Anggoro Sukartono to release eight protesters previously arrested by the police.
The protesters were freed as the Sultan engaged with the crowd.
He expressed hope for a sustainable dialogue between the government, police, and the public, offering to relay their grievances to the central government.
The unrest in Yogyakarta followed a protest at the police headquarters on Friday afternoon (August 29), which escalated into riots. Protesters burned parked cars and damaged a nearby police post.
This protest is part of a broader wave of demonstrations across Indonesia following Kurniawan’s death, including in the metropolitan city of Jakarta.
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Translator: Luqman Hakim, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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