Legal Literacy - The public was shocked by the tragic incident during a demonstration in front of the DPR/MPR Building. An online motorcycle taxi driver who participated in the demonstration became a victim of a police car collision. Videos and photos of the incident quickly circulated, sparking outrage and fundamental questions about whether this was simply a traffic accident, or a reflection of the broken relationship between the people and the state?

The incident cannot be seen as an ordinary event. It touches on two important realms, namely law and a sense of justice. Law speaks of articles, rules, and procedures. Meanwhile, a sense of justice speaks of the public conscience, of how the state treats its citizens with respect and fairness.

The Law Must Be Upheld

Within the framework of Indonesian positive law, it is clear that anyone who causes a traffic accident can be subject to criminal penalties. Article 310 of Law Number 22 of 2009 mentions a prison sentence ranging from one year to six years, depending on the consequences. This means that the police who drive the car are still subject to these rules. Status as an apparatus cannot be a reason for exemption.

Furthermore, the police are not just ordinary drivers. They are state apparatus, symbols of law, and protectors of society. Therefore, their standards of responsibility should be higher. When a violation occurs, accountability does not stop at the individual, but also attaches to the institution. The state cannot simply call it an accident and then wash its hands of it.

In the context of constitutional law, there is a principle of state responsibility , which means that the state is responsible for protecting the basic rights of its citizens, including the right to life and security. Thus, when a state apparatus injures the people, it means that the state has failed to fulfill its obligations.