Detik.com
- May 1, 2009
Hery
Winarno, Jakarta – A worker fell and was trampled during a protest action
commemorating Labour Day on Friday May 1. The trigger for the incident was when
demonstrators from the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) attempted to break
through a police blockade in order to approach the State Palace in Central
Jakarta.
The incident
took place at around 4.30pm when the front ranks of the ABM demonstrators where
stopped by police in front of the offices of the Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat. All of a sudden the workers surged
forward breaking through the rope barrier put in place by police.
The police –
who were on guard behind the rope barrier – were forced back by the
demonstrators. Blows were exchanged and bamboo sticks used to fasten banners were
thrown from the direction of police. Police responded by hitting several
demonstrators and throwing the bamboo sticks back into the crowd.
It was
during this brawl that a woman worker from ABM in the front ranks of the
protesters fell. She was even trampled on by police and her own colleagues as
they surged back and forwards. Fortunately, her colleagues were able to rescue
her and she was not seriously injured.
The brawl
continued for around five minutes and as a result, the lanes on Jl. Medan
Merdeka Barat from the area of Harmoni and Thamrin were completely closed to
traffic. Police also deployed a water cannot and Mobile Police (Brimob)
officers to fortify the barricade. (lh/iy)
[Translated
by James Balowski.]
