Police Only Armed with Shield, Tear Gas for May 22 Rally
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20 May 2019 10:09 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Police dispatched in the May 22 rally will only be armed with shields, water cannon, and tear gas to deal with protestors who against the Election Commission (KPU) that planned to announce the result of the 2019 general elections.
“We won’t be armed with firearms and live ammo,” said National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo on Sunday, May 19.
Dedi said that if live ammo and firearms are found during the movement, it will be seen as a terror act. “Because security officers are not allowed [to bring firearms]. This is an order,” he added.
Read: Bogor Terrorist to Explode Bombs at KPU on May 22, Police Say
A total of 32,000 joint personnel National Police and Indonesian Armed Force (TNI) will be stationed to secure national vital areas throughout the capital city, particularly buildings of Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) and KPU.
Police have set four security rings in the KPU building's neighborhood areas; inside the building, the area around the commission's building, at the KPU building's yard, and roads around the KPU building.
Additionally, TNI and National Police also prepared the anti-anarchy team to counter the possibility of anarchism during the election results announcement on May 22. The police will also continuously conduct patrols in accordance with intelligence to see the development of community dynamic when the election result released.
ANDITA RAHMA
