Thousands of Indonesians marched on parliament in Jakarta on Thursday to demand harsher punishment for corrupt officials, in a protest that coincided with the anniversary of last year's deadly riots.

The demonstration fell exactly one year after antigovernment rallies turned violent, leaving around 10 people dead and nearly 7,000 arrested. Riot police held the crowd behind the locked gates of the legislature for much of the day.

According to AFP, after nightfall some protesters threw objects at officers, who responded with tear gas and water cannon. A police post and a motorcycle were set ablaze, and several people were carried away on stretchers. Similar student marches took place in Yogyakarta and Makassar.

Protesters are urging parliament to pass a bill first introduced in 2008 that would allow the state to seize assets linked to corruption. Some at the rally called for corrupt officials to face the death penalty.

Lawmakers met with representatives of the United Pati Community Alliance outside parliament and promised to resign if the bill is not passed by December 15, according to alliance leader Sopriyano.

Around 200 students from several universities attended, demanding the scrapping of a free school meal program marred by corruption claims and repeated food poisoning incidents. They also called for an end to the “militarisation” of Indonesian society and lower food prices.

“We chose August 27 to commemorate because last year there were riots and various other incidents. Today we want to convey our aspirations, not cause riots,” a student representative told Reuters.

Jakarta police deployed 18,500 officers and detained 65 people before the march on suspicion of being “provocateurs,” spokesperson Budi Hermanto said. Chief Security Minister Djamari Chaniago stated the deployment was not aimed at curbing free expression. “We will escort them so that their aspirations can be conveyed properly,” he added.

Source: www.aljazeera.com