JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—Police briefly stopped a convoy carrying University of Indonesia students near the UOB Plaza area on Jakarta’s Sudirman corridor on Tuesday, August 18. The group marched toward the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout to join the #MerebutKemerdekaan protest.

Video footage showed that police temporarily held back nine buses carrying protesters. The students later left their vehicles and continued toward Bundaran HI on foot. Authorities had not released an official participant count when this article was prepared.

A verbal exchange unfolded between student representatives and security officers during the stoppage. The students argued that restrictions on their movement and the proposed use of loudspeakers further narrowed the public space available for citizens to voice criticism.

They also questioned the presence of Indonesian military (TNI) personnel. The students asked police to explain the legal basis for involving the TNI in securing a civilian demonstration.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Kombes Pol. Reynold E.P. Hutagalung said police had requested inter-agency cooperation.

“This was part of our request to work together as security personnel,” Reynold said. His remarks appeared in footage shared by Tirto.

The exchange captured in the footage did not identify the specific operational order governing the TNI personnel’s involvement that day.

Organizers used the post-Independence Day demonstration to raise concerns about governance, corruption, agrarian reform, rising living expenses, regional autonomy, disaster response, and the role of security forces in civilian affairs.

Their demands reportedly included stronger action against corruption, lower staple food and fuel prices, and an evaluation of several national programs. They called for faster recovery efforts in disaster-hit regions and an end to what they described as military and police intervention in civilian spaces.

Under Law No. 9/1998, Indonesians have the right to express opinions in public. The law requires organizers to notify police in writing and obliges participants to respect public order and other people’s rights.

It also urges government officers to maintain human rights, legality and security during the demonstrations.

Article 7 of the amended Indonesian Military Law permits the TNI to assist police with public security and order under applicable laws.

The provision establishes a general mandate. It does not, by itself, clarify the command or operational arrangement used for a particular demonstration.

Police had previously urged student groups to avoid Bundaran HI during a June 2026 rally, citing traffic, public facilities, and the rights of road users. That earlier position was published by the INP Polri.