Aftermath of the August Riots

THERE is something wrong with the way the police are pursuing those responsible for the violence in the wave of demonstrations at the end of August 2025. Instead of trying to uncover the network of rioters that acted in an organized way, they have arrested activists and students who often expressed criticism. This shows the tendency of the security forces to seek out those easily blamed rather than upholding justice.

Police have arrested almost a thousand people following demonstrations that led to riots in numerous cities. The unrest was triggered by the death of online motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan, who was run over by a police tactical vehicle. Some of those arrested have already been named as suspects.

The arrest of Khariq Anhar, a student at Riau University, for example, served as the entry point for police to drag in individuals whose only connection was their affiliation with the student movement on social media. Police also arrested Lokataru Foundation Executive Director Delpedro Marhaen, Lokataru staff member Muzaffar Salim, and Gejayan Memanggil activist Syahdan Husein, despite a lack of clear evidence that they were involved in the riots.

This shows a tendency by the police to choose a “shortcut”: pointing the finger at those easiest to blame. Activists, who have long been critical of the government, have been accused of being behind the violence. This makes it look as if the police are taking action, even though the evidence for their accusations is flimsy.

However, there are strong indications that the police know who was actually behind the violence. Tempo’s investigation found that rioters on the ground wore specific signs and clothes. They moved in an organized way to create chaos. Strangely, the police do not appear to be serious about uncovering the primary actors behind the violence.

Even worse, many activists are being charged not for concrete actions, but merely for allegedly having connections to certain groups—whether those groups are real or simply concocted by authorities. They appear to be punished simply for being in the wrong circle, rather than for clear evidence of their involvement. The fundamental legal principle that a person can only take responsibility for their own actions is simply being ignored.

These misdirected actions are made worse by labeling. These activists are being labeled as provocateurs or rioters without any valid proof. This kind of labeling leads to a social stigma that makes the arrests appear justified. However, those arrested were merely exercising their constitutional right to express opinions and criticisms about the abuse of power.

This habit of seeking out scapegoats, prosecuting because of association and unilaterally applying labels means that the police appear more ‌as instruments of power than law enforcers. Instead of uncovering the masterminds of the riots, who clearly moved in an organized way, the police have been criminalizing those who expressed dissenting voices. In the long run, this practice will only harm the legitimacy of the police, and also erode the foundations of democracy.

In order to escape from this cycle, the police need to return to objective and evidence-based law enforcement. Public trust can be restored only if the police position themselves as the protectors of citizens, not as the ones that oppress them.