Indonesia police use tear gas near campuses

2/9/2025 13:31

Indonesian police have fired tear gas into crowds of protesters near two universities in a major regional city, student bodies and authorities said on Tuesday, adding new tensions to deadly protests that have rocked the country since last week.



Student bodies of the Islamic University of Bandung, known locally as UNISBA, and nearby Pasundan University, over 140 kilometres west of Jakarta, said on Instagram that authorities fired tear gas canisters into crowds near the campuses on Monday evening.



Local police official Hendra Rochmawan said authorities did not enter the campuses but were trying to break up non-student protesters who were seeking protection inside university grounds, because the crowds were blocking roads in the area.



UNISBA Dean Harits Nu'man echoed the police statement, adding the campus was a medical hub for protesters. The UNISBA student body said security forces "brutally attacked" the campus, saying the tear gas caused breathing problems for some students and accusing security forces of seeking to silence dissent.