TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technological Innovation (Mendiktisintek) Brian Yuliarto reminded students to continue expressing their aspirations in a healthy and dignified manner. Amidst the recent surge in demonstrations, Brian stated that anarchic actions do not reflect the true identity of Indonesian students.
"Anarchy is not in the DNA of our students. Students are known for their intellectual traditions, engaging in discussion, debate, and reasoned criticism. That must be maintained," Brian said in a written statement on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
This statement came amidst the rise of student demonstrations in various regions opposing a number of government policies. According to Brian, students play a crucial role as guardians of the public conscience, but this expression must be realized in constructive ways.
"Our democracy requires criticism, but that freedom must not be used to damage or injure others," he said.
Brian also asked universities to strengthen spaces for academic dialogue so that students can express their critical thoughts without resorting to violent protests.
He condemned the police's actions in firing tear gas into the Bandung Islamic University (Unisba) area on Monday evening, September 1, 2025. Brian expressed his regret for the action.
"It can be interpreted as an attack on the campus's safe space," Brian said in a written statement on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
He said the Ministry of Higher Education has coordinated to prevent a repeat of this incident on other campuses. He emphasized that campuses are free and safe academic spaces for students to voice their aspirations.
"As Minister of Education, Science, and Technology, I am both a parent and a friend of students. The door of communication is always open for various aspirations," he said.
Police officers allegedly attacked student protesters at the Pasundan University (Unpas) and Unisba campuses in the early hours of Monday, September 1, 2025. Unpas Student President Ridho Dawam stated that students had previously demonstrated in front of the West Java Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) building on Monday, September 1, 2025. Unpas and Unisba were evacuation points for the demonstration.
At Unpas (Unpas), police entered the Unpas campus area around 11:30 PM WIB (Western Indonesian Time) on Monday, August 1, 2025. They launched an attack by firing around 30 tear gas canisters at the student crowd, the medical post, the evacuation point, and the student activity unit (UKM) secretariat.
Meanwhile, a Unisba student said the series of tear gas canisters began at 9:45 PM WIB. At that time, students forming a barricade in front of the campus began being shot at with tear gas.
Ridwan—not his real name—said the student barricade was forced to retreat due to the continued tear gas. "It's starting to feel tight," Ridwan said when contacted by Tempo on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
An hour after the tear gas canisters were fired, security forces withdrew. However, shortly thereafter, the electricity on campus suddenly went out, plunging the campus into darkness.
At 11:35 PM WIB, the officers re-intensified their attack on the campus area. "I heard a lot of shouts, 'police, police, police.' I immediately checked through the window and saw a crowd running into campus," said Ridwan.
The West Java Regional Police denied firing tear gas into the Unisba area. Police argued that the wind carried the smoke from the tear gas canisters into the campus area.
"The tear gas was fired on the highway and then blown into the Unisba parking lot," said West Java Regional Police Public Relations Chief Commissioner Hendra Rochmawan on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
Police claimed they deployed troops to Unisba on Monday night, September 1, because a group of people dressed in black were provoking officers. Hendra said the group threw Molotov cocktails at police barricades and tactical vehicles from inside the campus.
Dian Rahma Fika and Vedro Immanuel Girsang contributed to this article.
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