Police Say No Legal Process against Creators of Jokowi Mural

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police's Head of the Public Relations Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono said the police would not legally process a satirical mural depicting the face of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo with his eyes covered with the words "404: Not Found" in Tangerang, Banten.

“For the time being, the police will not process it,” Argo said at a press conference at the South Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Friday, August 20.

He acknowledged that murals were artworks produced by an artist as a way to channel their aspirations. However, he opined they must be conveyed in the right place.

“Murals made by people in various forms and paintings are surely a form of expression that is conveyed in images,” Argo said.

He also appreciated young people who give inspiration in the form of paintings. “However, it must be given in the right place.”

According to him, the police's actions towards the viral mural were in accordance with the order of the police’s Criminal Investigation Unit Head Comr. Gen. Agus Andrianto, that law enforcers would not be responsive and repressive to this issue.

“We don’t do repression. We respect the public who express their soul through artworks,” Argo said.

As widely reported, a mural depicting the face of President Jokowi in Batu Ceper, Tangerang, went viral on social media. The mural was later painted over by the police. Reports said that the police hunted down the mural creator.

Read: Critical Street Murals; Police Urge Personnel against Agressive Crackdowns

ANTARA