Chief of Public Relations at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Senior Commissioner Ade Ary stated in Jakarta on Tuesday that the main suspect, identified by the initials DMR, director of the Lokataru Foundation, along with staff member MS and four other suspects, spread incitements targeting students via social media platforms.
According to Ade Ary, the incitements disseminated through social media encouraged students and children to join the riots, putting their safety at risk during the protests.
“DMR is the administrator of the Lokataru Foundation’s Instagram account and collaborated with other accounts to spread calls and incitements aimed at students through various hashtags and posts to carry out anarchic actions,” he said.
MS, as the admin of the Instagram account @bpp, also collaborated with other account holders to spread calls for destruction.
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Police added that SH, the admin of the Instagram account @GM, encouraged people to commit acts of destruction, while KA collaborated to incite similar behavior.
Meanwhile, RAP, the admin of the account @RAP, reportedly broadcasted a tutorial on how to make Molotov cocktails during a live stream on social media, which was widely viewed by students.
Authorities further revealed that RAP acted as the coordinator responsible for bringing Molotov cocktails to the demonstration sites.
“This suspect also shared locations where Molotov cocktails were prepared and could be collected by participants to join the protests,” Ade said.
Another suspect, FL, admin of the account @fg, reportedly conducted a live broadcast on social media during the riots on Monday (August 25), according to police.
Head of Unit 2, National Security Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Criminal Investigation Department, Commissioner Gilang Prasetya, said FL’s live broadcast showing the riots attracted nearly 10 million viewers.
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Officers found calls to escalate the riots being disseminated via social media platforms.
“We have also conducted analysis and investigation through a digital forensic laboratory, which uncovered tutorials on making Molotov cocktails and the distribution of locations where these bombs were placed,” Gilang explained.
Police have arrested suspects DMR, MS, SH, KA, RAP, and FL for their roles in encouraging students and children to partake in riots at various demonstration sites.
“We have been monitoring and analyzing this case since Monday (August 25),” Ade added.
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Translator: Mario, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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