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Officials, police prep for May Day rallies
Jakarta Post - April 25, 2012
Andreas D. Arditya, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration and police have begun security preparations ahead of the commemoration of International Labor Day next week.
Senior officials from the city's major institutions met on Tuesday at City Hall to discuss security for May Day, when a large number of workers are expected to take to the streets.
Jakarta Police operations chief Sr. Comr. Agung Budi Maryoto said after the meeting that the Jakarta Police would deploy more than 16,000 officers to secure the city on May Day.
"Our main focus is securing the commemoration events held by labor groups and securing vital buildings, such as the Presidential Palace and the House of Representatives compound," Agung told reporters.
Agung also said that the police would coordinate with the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP). "The military and the public order personnel will serve as a back-up to be deployed when needed," Agung said.
The police have predicted that around 60,000 people will participate in this year's May Day commemorations, with most expected to join rallies in the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD).
"They will likely gather at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle before going north along Jl. MH Thamrin to the State Palace and then returning south to Bung Karno Stadium on Jl. Jend. Sudirman," Agung said.
The police have cautioned motorists to avoid those areas on Tuesday. "We are still devising a traffic-rerouting scheme, but motorists better plan to avoid the area on that day," Agung said.
Jakarta administration secretary Fadjar Panjaitan said that officials were expecting labor groups to stage protests and May Day commemorations in industrial parks in West, North and East Jakarta.
"The municipal administrations will prepare entertainment stages near the areas to help the people assemble and to create a positive atmosphere during the day," Fadjar said.
May Day in Jakarta is usually marked by packed rallies. Demonstrators usually jam the city's main roads, including the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, to call attention to the issues that workers face.
Last year, the Jakarta Police placed its officers on high alert before May Day events, while last month, thousands of workers and university students from all over Greater Jakarta staged a huge rally in the city to protest the government's plan to raise fuel prices.
The rally caused severe traffic congestion on several of the city's main thoroughfares, forcing the Transjakarta Management Authority to reroute many buses.
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