The three --of about 30 students from the Mataram chapter of the Savior Council of the Islamic Students Association (HMI-MPO) who took part in the demonstration-- were caught when they were approaching the At-Taqwa Mosque where President Yudhoyono was scheduled to hold Friday prayers.
The students at the demonstration initially only voiced their concerns over national and regional development problems in the province, but before dispersing some insisted on going to the mosque to join the prayers.
Concerned about yet another potential protest near the President, the security forces stopped the students, which caused a clash that led to the arrests.
"That was the standard operating procedure for the security of a President. Students should have understood it" West Nusa Tenggara police command spokesman Adjunct Senior Commissioner Sukarman Husein said.
President Yudhoyono was in the city on his way to Timor-Leste to attend the inauguration of Jose Maria de Vasconcelos, known popularly as Taur Matan Ruak, as the new president of the island nation on May 20.
After the Friday prayers, President Yudhoyono was scheduled to hold a limited meeting at the governor`s hall to discuss the implementation of the Master Plan of the Acceleration and Expansion of Economic Development for Corridor V, which includes the West Nusa Tenggara, Bali, and East Nusa Tenggara provinces.
(H-YH/INE/O001)
Editor: Ade P Marboen
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
