Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police used water cannons, firecrackers and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting in front of the parliament building here on Friday evening.

Earlier, demonstrators were able to enter the House of Representatives (DPR) building after they pulled down surrounding fences.

The demonstrators who were composed of students, members of trade unions and other mass organizations, rallied to protest the government`s plan to raise prices of subsidized fuel oil.

Live report from TVone station predicted the number of demonstrators reached about 15,000.

The DPR was holding a plenary to decide whether or not it would endorse the government`s plan to increase subsidized fuel oil prices.

The government is planning to hike prices of subsidized fuel oil on April 1 and has submitted two options to the DPR. In the first proposal, the government seeks to raise the price of subsidized premium gasoline from Rp4,500 to Rp6,000 per liter, and diesel oil from Rp4,500 to Rp6,000 per liter.

The police used the water cannons, firecrackers and tear gas to repulse the protesters from the parliament surrounding and drive the crowd away.

(A014/H-YH)

(T.A014/B/A014/C/H-YH) 30-03-2012 20:16:34

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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