A road conflict, during which a truck driver beat a young man with a wheel wrench and later faced mob justice, escalated into street protests.
Hundreds of Balinese gathered today near the Kuta Selatan police station, where two residents from the Jimbaran area had been taken. Protesters actively posted videos on social media.
Footage shows massive crowds of participants under the slogan 'Protect the Village, Protect the Residents!' walking and riding on bikes in traditional Balinese attire — white shirts and white udengs (men’s headbands).
The demonstration started after rumors spread about the detention of two locals suspected of collectively beating the truck driver.
The head of the Kuta Selatan Police, Commissioner I Komang Agus Dharmayana, explained that two complaints are being handled at the department:
The first is about the beating, for which the truck driver has already been designated as a suspect, and he is officially detained.
The second involves collective beating (article 170 of the Criminal Code), in which two Balinese residents with the initials IKS and IWS are implicated.
However, the police denied rumors of their arrest: IKS and IWS are currently only being questioned and have not been detained.
Both parties in the conflict — the driver and the residents of Jimbaran — expressed a desire to hold a musyawarah (discussion). The police stated that they are willing to support this process, expressing hope for reconciliation.
'We hope that both sides can resolve the issue amicably and reconcile, but if the process continues, we are also ready to act decisively,' said the head of the police station.
The incident that started it all occurred on Friday, November 29, on Uluwatu Street in Jimbaran. The truck driver (initials FH) allegedly parked his vehicle in a way that completely blocked access to an alley.
When a local resident (initials W) politely asked FH to move the truck, the driver refused. Moreover, after stepping out of the cab, he immediately attacked him with a wheel wrench. The victim of the beating was a bystander, 23-year-old IGBAK, who at that moment was trying to break up the altercation between FH and W.
Later, two Jimbaran residents rushed to retaliate against the driver. It was for their defense that hundreds of locals stood.
Sources: BaliExpress
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