TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The police have nabbed Rusli M.S., a coordinator of Prabowo-Hatta supporters from Aceh, for allegedly being a provocateur. “I don’t know why I'm detained. I was not orating, but suddenly the police arrested me,” he said from inside a police car where he was detained near Indosat building, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat on Thursday, August 21, 2014.
Rusli said he tumbled when the police began shooting protesters with tear gas and water cannon, and was instantly apprehended by policemen in civilian clothes and taken to a police car. Rusli suffered a bruise in the head, which he claimed he had after being punched by the policemen.
The police remain on alert to prevent against more possible anarchic actions from Prabowo-Hatta supporters. Besides Rusli, the police have also detained three other protesters inside the police car.
AYU WANDARI