A wild brawl broke out among residents in the Manggarai area of Tebet, South Jakarta, on Sunday night (4/5/2025). Two groups of residents exchanged firecrackers and threw objects suspected to be molotov cocktails when the day turned dark, causing panic among residents and bringing traffic flow around the area to a complete standstill.
The chaos erupted around 8:00 PM local time, precisely under the underpass near the Manggarai River water gate and Tambak bridge. In a viral video on social media, particularly on the @wargajakarta.id Instagram account, two groups of residents, mostly young people, mercilessly attacked each other.
The sound of firecrackers echoed from both directions, making the atmosphere in the tense Manggarai tunnel even more intense. What’s more, a brutal act was captured on video when someone threw an object resembling a molotov cocktail. The fire immediately ignited as the bottle shattered on the road, revealing the dangerous level of conflict escalation jeopardizing public safety.
“Clashes between villages in Manggarai, traffic at a standstill. Location 1: Manggarai tunnel, location 2: Tambak bridge,” wrote the @wargajakarta.id account in their post.
The Tebet police sector confirmed the incident. According to the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tebet Police AKP Suwarno, when the officers arrived at the scene, the involved masses had already dispersed.
“So, the info was at 8 PM. When our officers got there, there were no more residents fighting, they had already scattered,” Suwarno said when contacted on Sunday night.
Although no perpetrators were apprehended, Suwarno assured that the authorities were still on alert to anticipate possible follow-up clashes. The current situation, he added, had become peaceful, and traffic flow had returned to normal.
“No one was arrested, but our officers have been on standby there since then,” he emphasized.
Clashes in Manggarai are not a new occurrence, and this latest incident once again highlights the importance of security in conflict-prone areas, especially on weekends when many residents gather. Acts of violence involving firecrackers and dangerous objects like molotov cocktails clearly threaten public order and safety.
The police urge the public not to be easily provoked and to immediately report any signs of conflict in their surroundings to the authorities. The safety and well-being of the community are paramount in preventing such incidents from happening again.
As a newly graduated journalist, I’m not really sure why this matters, but it seems like the situation in Manggarai is quite tense. It’s a bit concerning that these clashes keep happening, especially with the use of such dangerous weapons. Hopefully, the authorities can step in to prevent further incidents like this from occurring.
In conclusion, the recent clash in Manggarai serves as a reminder of the ongoing security challenges in certain areas of Jakarta. The authorities must remain vigilant and proactive in maintaining peace and order to ensure the safety of the residents. Let’s hope that measures are taken to prevent such violent confrontations in the future.
