At least six people were killed yesterday as Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, erupted in violence when police clashed with protesters opposed to the re-election of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Dozens were arrested and parts of the city were littered with debris and burned-out vehicles.
Authorities restricted access to some social media in a bid to stop rumors and fake news.
Photo: AFP
Indonesian National Police Chief Tito Karnavian said that six people had died amid calls by authorities for calm, but denied that the government had fired live rounds on the crowd.
“Some had gunshot wounds, some blunt force wounds, but we still need to clarify this,” he said.
The violence came after the Indonesian General Elections Commission on Tuesday confirmed that Widodo had beaten challenger Prabowo Subianto for the presidency in a poll held on April 17.
Photo: AP
Subianto had said that he would challenge the results in court — as he did, unsuccessfully, against Widodo in 2014 — and that his claims of widespread cheating might spark street protests.
The morning clashes started after several thousand Subianto supporters on Tuesday rallied peacefully near the elections commission office in central Jakarta.
Roads were later blocked off in parts of the sprawling metropolis — with some shopping malls, businesses and schools also closed as small groups of protesters engaged in skirmishes with police.
By yesterday afternoon, a crowd of several thousand demonstrators flowed into the city’s business and commercial center for a rally.
Election officials and analysts have discounted Subianto’s claims, but many supporters appeared convinced of rampant cheating in the world’s third-biggest democracy.
“I need to support Indonesia’s sovereignty — there has been massive fraud in this election,” said Puji Astuti, a 42-year-old Subianto supporter at a rally in central Jakarta yesterday.
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