Police Uncover 3 Funding Clusters in August 27 Riots - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Metropolitan Police have identified figures suspected of financing demonstrators during the riots following the August 17, 2026 rally in Jakarta. "Based on our investigation, we found legal facts regarding parties that supplied funding and mobilized masses," Jakarta Metro Police General Crimes Director Sr. Comr. Iman Imanuddin said during a press conference on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
According to Iman, investigators uncovered several funding networks behind the August 27, 2026 riots. The first cluster involves multiple riot suspects who allegedly received Rp40,000 per person from a field coordinator identified by the initials JT. JT was reportedly instructed by an individual identified as PKL. PKL was commissioned by another suspect with the initials KHT, alias HY, who had received directives from an individual known as SO.
"We are currently pursuing the masterminds who ordered and funded the mobilization of these crowds," he added.
Iman noted that in the second cluster, police traced financial backing to a field coordinator identified as ER, whom authorities described as a university student in Jakarta.
"He promised and prepared funds of Rp70,000 per person, having received orders from a corporate entity we are presently investigating. That corporate entity is the one providing the budget and requests ER to gather participants," Iman said.
Meanwhile, the third cluster was uncovered by the Women and Children Protection and Anti-Human Trafficking Directorate (PPA-PPO) while processing underage offenders. Iman explained that the directorate uncovered evidence suggesting minors were exploited by three previously named suspects.
The suspects, according to Iman, reportedly mobilized minors and paid them stipends to join the unrest. He added that all three remain under active investigation by the PPA-PPO Directorate and are being held at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police detention center.
"We will not stop here and will continue to probe the instigators and funders of the riots," Iman said. He emphasized that the investigation targets post-demonstration rioting, rather than the peaceful demonstrations themselves.
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