Police personnel arrested eleven activists from Suara Awam Katolik Regio Papua (Catholic Public Voice of Papua) in front of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Merauke, on 25 January 2026. The activists were arrested at around 10 a.m. while staging a silent protest. They were released in the evening after being questioned.

These activists have regularly staged protests in front of the church. One of their main demands in this demonstration was for the Archbishop of Merauke, Mgr. Petrus Canisius Mandagi, to apologise to the Malind indigenous community affected by the National Strategic Project. Archbishop Mandagi has been seen as supporting the PSN in South Papua.