1.09 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Policewomen do Gangnam Style to keep crowd calm

Indonesian policewoman and demonstrators break out into a "Gangnam Style" dance performance while securing a Labour Day rally in front of the city hall of Surabaya in East Java province on May 1, 2013. East Java women's police chief Elly Wahyuningtyas said they practiced the world-famous Korean smash hit dance for three days and the performance helped keep everyone calm and happy. Demonstrators were calling for an end to labour outsourcing and protested low wages. (AFP)

Published
By AFP

A group of policewomen took an unusual approach to crowd control at a May Day protest in Indonesia Wednesday, breaking into a performance of "Gangnam Style" to keep demonstrators happy.

Thousands of protesters in the city of Surabaya in eastern Java cheered with excitement as around 80 female officers did the signature horse-riding dance from South Korean rapper Psy's global hit.

Some of the 5,000-strong crowd even joined in with the officers, who were wearing standard-issue dark police uniforms, sunglasses and caps.

"The crowd went wild. They were so happy, and it was a great feeling to get them excited," Elly Wahyuningtyas, the top female police officer in the area, told AFP, adding they did the dance twice for around half an hour.

"We'd been practising for three days and I think it really helped keep everyone calm and happy."

"They were all so beautiful," she added proudly.

The festive atmosphere was a contrast to other rallies in the country, including one which attracted 55,000 people in Jakarta, where police were faced with angry workers complaining of low salaries and poor working conditions.

Protesters held rallies around the world on Wednesday to call for a better deal for workers.

"Gangnam Style" was a viral sensation on the Internet and in December became the first video to pass a billion views on YouTube.