Anti-governor rally hit with tear gas in Jakarta
Print Edition
INDONESIAN police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hardline Muslims protesters yesterday, after tens of thousands had rallied to demand the resignation of the Christian governor of the capital, Jakarta, who they said had insulted the Quran.
Witnesses saw at least five water cannon trucks in front of the Presidential Palace, the focal point of a protest that had been peaceful for most of the day.
Local media also showed footage of a fire breaking out close to the nearby National Monument, with thick black smoke billowing. Some reports said cars had been torched.
Some protesters were seen covering their faces and trying to move away from the tear gas, while others threw plastic bottles and other objects at police officers who had formed a barricade.
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim country, where many people follow a moderate form of Islam. While hardliners have launched occasional agitation in the past, protests on such a large scale have been rare.
A sea of white blanketed central Jakarta, as protesters wearing robes and Muslim caps took to the streets to demonstrate against Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama, a Christian and the first ethnic Chinese politician to hold the job.
Some Muslim groups have accused Purnama of blasphemy after he said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Quran.
“He is not Muslim but he humiliated the Quran,” said protester Muhammad Said. “Don’t refer to anything in the Quran, especially interpreting it incorrectly ... I call on God to jail him.”
The protesters, led by a group called the Islamic Defenders Front, chanted “God is greatest” and waved placards calling for Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, to be jailed for blasphemy.
A white banner hung at an overpass was painted with red letters saying “Hang Ahok here.”
The atmosphere in Jakarta throughout Friday had been tense and some companies asked employees to work from home. Access to business districts was restricted and embassies urged caution.
Truckloads of soldiers and police, some equipped with rifles, were on patrol and others secured shopping malls earlier in the day. A total of about 18,000 security personnel were deployed in the sprawling city of 10 million, police said.
There were protests in other cities against Purnama, who has apologized for his comments. Police are still investigating his remarks.
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