Yogyakarta Protesters Reject Police Claim Over Pepper Spray Use
Yogyakarta protesters reject police claims they used pepper spray, saying instead that outside groups attacked them during the clashes.
On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, protesters gathered at the Gramedia intersection in Yogyakarta to express their demands. However, a police claim contradicted the protesters' narrative, stating that demonstrators had sprayed officers with a pepper-based substance during the clashes. The protesters refuted this claim on Thursday, September 3, during a statement at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) roundabout.
They accused the Yogyakarta Police (Polda DIY) of spreading misleading information on social media, alleging that the police used photos and videos to shape public opinion. According to UGM student representative Mesa, the police photographs and videos showed UGM's medical team carrying bottles of water, which they used to treat protesters affected by pepper spray.
Mesa emphasized that the liquid was not a harmful substance created as a weapon, but rather a neutralizing liquid meant to relieve eye irritation and other physical effects among protesters.
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