A demonstration demanding the repeal of the Criminal Code (KUHP) in Bandung, Thursday (15/12/2022) afternoon, ended in chaos. The action, which was carried out by hundreds of masses from a combination of students from all over West Java, was dispersed by the police.

The action this time was the form of the umpteenth time rejecting the Criminal Code which was later passed by the DPR and the government some time ago. The masses carried the theme of the action "West Java Sues, Bandung Seas Anger".

One of the participants in the action, Audi, said that initially the action went smoothly. The students demanded that the Criminal Code, which contains problematic articles, be repealed immediately. They gave speeches voicing their demands in front of the West Java DPRD Building until 18.00 WIB.

The demonstrators had asked to have an audience with members of the West Java DPRD, but several people's representatives only stood at the door, not meeting the demonstrators.

After the sunset call to prayer, conditions began to become unfavorable. Allegedly there was a provocation that made the action heated up.

"And finally, right after the call to prayer, we started to break up," said Audi, to Bandungmoving.id when met at the Bandung Polrestabes, Thursday night.

In the midst of a chaotic situation, the masses asked members of the West Java DPRD to leave. But then the first water cannon shots started at around 19.30 WIB. This causes the masses to scatter.

After having retreated for a while, the masses returned to the fence area of the West Java DPRD Building. It was then that the students said they started receiving tear gas shots. The crowd scattered, some of them fainted.

Police armed with batons then chased and dispersed the demonstrators. As a result, a number of students were injured, several people were rushed to the hospital.

"We are advancing again, the tear gas was shot behind the (first) DPRD fence, only then the second tear gas was shot out. There the masses started to get upset, there started a lot of victims from students in West Java," said Audi.

Audi itself became one of the victims. The student from a private university in Bandung admitted that he was hit with a bat and was knocked unconscious. Two of his friends were even caught and taken to the Bandung Polrestabes.

Not only that, several other campus students also became victims of repression. Among others, from UIN Bandung. Preliminary data from the students noted that 17 people were arrested and taken to the Bandung Polrestabes. This data is still being updated.

Head of BEM Unpad, Virdian Aurellio regretted the repressive actions of the police in securing the action. He recorded how many students were examined and their devices were detained to be taken to the Bandung Polrestabes.

"We didn't do anything to point fingers, where here, we checked our wallets, checked our cellphones, then our friends were told to squat like criminals," he said.

On the other hand, a number of public defender activists from the Bandung Legal Aid Institute (LBH), the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI), and LBH Berani experienced difficulty accessing them when they tried to provide legal assistance to students who were arrested at the Bandung Polrestabes. New legal assistance can be given at 22.25 WIB.

"Like the previous pattern regarding entry, we provide access to legal assistance, of course we encounter difficulties. To be precise, they were prevented even though we had received complaints, we were carrying out legal aid work, but still (obstructed)," said Heri Pramono from LBH Bandung.