Inp.polri.go.id - Jayapura. A protest led by the Papua Youth and Students Alliance for Indigenous Land Rights turned violent in Abepura on Wednesday (15/10/2025), leaving three people injured and several vehicles destroyed, according to Jayapura City Sub-regional Police Chief Senior Superintendent Fredrickus Maclarimboen.

“The protest turned anarchic after demonstrators insisted on holding a long march despite an earlier agreement to remain in the Abepura roundabout,” he said, as quoted by antaranews.com.

The unrest resulted in two police cars being damaged, a public water company (PDAM) vehicle burned, and two police officers and a street vendor injured by stones thrown by protesters. Police responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd after protesters blocked traffic and hurled stones.

Chief Frederickus added that authorities acted according to standard procedures, citing reports that some protesters had prepared Molotov cocktails. He apologized to residents affected by the tear gas and urged demonstrators to express aspirations peacefully.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)