University of Indonesia (UI).

progresifjaya.co.id, JAKARTA – The University of Indonesia (UI) officially expressed its regret over the unplanned incident during the student demonstration at Polri Headquarters on February 27, 2026. This public demonstration was marred by the actions of a non-UI student wearing a UI alma mater jacket, identified as SBW, who behaved inappropriately toward officers, and by a UI student who defaced the turban of a female police officer.

Based on an internal clarification from the university, the student, identified as MRM, has acknowledged her mistake. She has also apologized directly to the affected policewoman and is willing to undergo a coaching process from UI.

This incident serves as a reminder to UI that freedom of expression and the expression of opinions in public spaces must always go hand in hand with responsibility, empathy, and ethics.

The Director of Public Relations, Media, Government, and International Relations at the UI, Dr. Erwin Agustian Panigoro, M.M., stated in a statement that, as a higher education institution with State-Owned Legal Entity (BHMN) status, UI understands that expressing opinions in public is part of the constitutional rights of citizens and the intellectual tradition of students.

Therefore, UI fully supervised the preparation process for the student demonstration through official notification mechanisms, coordination with the Security Office and the Student Organization Office (Ormawa), and coaching field coordinators to ensure the event proceeded peacefully, orderly, and responsibly.

The demonstration, which took place on February 27, 2026, in front of the Polri Headquarters, was coordinated by the UI Student Executive Board (BEM UI) and was notified to the campus on February 26, 2026. The Ormawa Office received information about the planned demonstration, including details of the time, gathering point, and destination. The campus also urged that the demonstration be conducted in an orderly manner, adhering to regulations, avoiding damage to public facilities, and ensuring proper coordination to prevent infiltration.

However, unfortunately, a number of unplanned incidents occurred on the ground. A video circulating on February 28, 2026, revealed individuals who were not UI students but were wearing UI alma mater attire and behaving inappropriately toward police officers. Furthermore, a female student defaced a policewoman’s turban during the demonstration.

“Regarding this incident, the university conducted a thorough internal clarification by summoning the parties involved to obtain complete and balanced information. This process was conducted objectively and prioritized the principle of guidance, to ascertain the facts and determine follow-up steps in accordance with applicable regulations at the University of Indonesia,” explained Dr. Erwin Panigoro on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

Based on the internal clarification, the MRM student confirmed to have committed the graffiti has acknowledged her mistake and expressed regret for her actions.

“I sincerely apologize to T, the policewoman, as a member of the Polri affected by my actions during the demonstration. I realize that these actions were inappropriate and inconsistent with the ethical values and mutual respect that UI students should uphold,” MRM stated regretfully, as stated in UI’s official statement.

“This incident is an important lesson for me to be more prudent in my behavior and in expressing my opinions in public. I express my sincere regret and am committed to following the guidance process established by the University of Indonesia with full responsibility,” he continued sincerely.

Learning from this incident, UI hopes that all members of the academic community will always uphold the institution’s good name and uphold the law. They will also demonstrate ethics and national values in all activities in public spaces. (Bembo)