Indonesia's TikTok Trio Admits Suramadu Bridge Stunt, Gets Traffic Ticket from East Java Police

KOMPAS.com – A trio of women seeking their 15 minutes of fame on TikTok by dancing on the Suramadu bridge in East Java finally came clean about their stunt.

According to online media outlet Surya.co.id, the three obeyed police summons to the Tanjung Perak, Surabaya Police Department, to explain their actions on Saturday, July 4.

“I apologize to the Indonesian public for our actions,” said HR, one of the trio, along with LR and SS, in a written statement. “Please do not imitate [us], as doing so is potentially dangerous to ourselves and others.”

Also read: Police Hunt Trio Who Sought Trio Who Sought TixToxicating Fame Via Suramadu Bridge Dance

Tanjung Perak’s police chief, Police Commissioner Gamis Setyaningrum, confirmed that the three expressed their remorse.

“[HR, LR and SS] admitted to stopping in the middle of the [Suramadu] bridge because they were taken by the view,” he said.

“They decided that the view will be a great backdrop for their dance. They also figured that it will be a great idea to upload it on TikTok.”

Laying down the law

The trio's apology has not stopped the police from applying the full force of the law.

“We are still ticketing [HR, LR and SS] for violating traffic laws,” Gamis added. “They include fines of up to Rp. 500 thousand [USD 34.50].”

The police will also step up patrols on Suramadu bridge to prevent similar incidents. HR, LR and SS uploaded the 17-second video on Tik Tok on Thursday, July 2.

Also read: Jakarta Police Arrest Two Ex-Starbucks Employees for Online Sexual Harassment

The video shows the trio, sporting yellow dresses and black hijabs, dancing to Bollywood tunes, oblivious to the traffic on the 5.4-kilometer cable stayed bridge.

The video has been viewed over 20,000 times and received more than 4.400 comments, some of them disparaging, on TikTok as well as Twitter.

TikTok was banned in Indonesia for "containing pornography, inappropriate content and blasphemy” in July 2018. The ban was later lifted. The app retained its popularity as a go-to platform to upload short videos, particularly those related to music.

Since the Suramadu bridge was opened to the public in 2009, the Indonesian National Police has to constantly guard it from infractions ranging from illegal stopping to theft involving scrap metal dealers who steal screws and other metal parts. 

(Writer/Editor: Michael Hangga Wismabrata)

Sources:

https://regional.kompas.com/read/2020/07/04/23210061/tiga-wanita-yang-joget-tiktok-di-jembatan-suramadu-minta-maaf-polisi-beri.