Jakarta protest ends in violence

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia‘s president urged protesters rioting in Jakarta, on Saturday, November 5 to return to their homes, lamenting the “chaos” in the capital as gangs of hardline Muslims torched police cars and attacked officers.

The violence – just meters from the presidential palace and city hall – marred an otherwise peaceful rally Friday in which 50,000 people marched against Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, a Christian accused of insulting Islam.

(READ: Thousands of Islamic groups protest against governor’s alleged blasphemy)

The rally turned ugly as night fell and thousands of protesters clashed with police, setting vehicles ablaze and hurling bottles and rocks at officers, injuring several.

Police responded with tear gas, water cannon and truncheons but it took hours to quell the violence, which later spilled over into a poor neighborhood in Jakarta’s north.

A 55-year-old man died due to asthma, Jakarta police spokesman Awi Setiyono told media.

In a brief statement just after midnight, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo – flanked by senior officials including Indonesia‘s military chief, security minister and national police chief – regretted the peaceful march descending into violence.

“People should have been dispersed but it ended up in chaos,” he told reporters at the palace.

“I ask the protesters to go home, and let law enforcement do their job in a fair way.”

After the skirmishes by the palace, some protesters then headed to the House of Representatives. They finally went home at about 4am, according to local media.

(READ: Authorities fear violence in protest by Islamic groups. Here’s what you need to know.)

Anger spread beyond the capital, with solidarity marches also held across Java and in cities as far away as Makassar in Indonesia‘s east.

“It’s no wonder people arise. Why when it comes to Ahok is the law not upheld?,” deputy house speaker Fahri Hamzah, a prominent politician from an Islamic political party, told demonstrators earlier Friday.

Our reporter @hhaanniiyy is on the scene. She reports some protesters burnt things near a police car #AksiDamai411 pic.twitter.com/P86wLuqzGa

— Natashya Gutierrez (@natashya_g) November 4, 2016

More photos from @RapplerID‘s reporter @hhaanniiyy who says protesters throwing things at police, scholars calming them down #AksiDamai411 pic.twitter.com/uv1aw6KUyi

— Natashya Gutierrez (@natashya_g) November 4, 2016

Police now using tear gas to disperse protesters. Video from @hhaanniiyy #AksiDamai411 pic.twitter.com/PczKdfHdfD

— Natashya Gutierrez (@natashya_g) November 4, 2016

More from our reporter on the field @hhaanniiyy: Police get treated for tear gas as they attempt to disperse crowd. #AksiDamai411 pic.twitter.com/TMAMYtf6jD

— Natashya Gutierrez (@natashya_g) November 4, 2016

Looks like a war zone in Jakarta. Police and military keeping watch by the Palace. #AksiDamai411 pic.twitter.com/HEBVa0zSNu

— Natashya Gutierrez (@natashya_g) November 4, 2016

Some public structures broken by protesters near the Palace #AksiDamai411 pic.twitter.com/EIOx6ymZsq

— Natashya Gutierrez (@natashya_g) November 4, 2016

The protest was triggered by accusations that Ahok insulted Islam by criticizing opponents who used Koranic references to attack him ahead of an election in February.

Ahok apologized for the remarks, but his opponents have built a groundswell of support calling for his arrest and incarceration under Indonesia‘s tough blasphemy laws.

Some Islamic groups have called for his death and promised Friday’s turnout in Jakarta would eclipse a similar rally last month that drew 5,000 chanting demonstrators to the streets.

Skirmishes

Authorities took no chances in the lead up to the much-hyped Jakarta rally, deploying 18,000 officers and extra soldiers across the capital amid fears that radical elements could infiltrate the march.

The demonstration appeared to be dying down by dusk, but the situation turned hostile by nightfall as angry Islamic groups and riot police engaged in skirmishes.

 

By late Friday the unrest in the city center had largely been quelled but flared up in another area. Footage aired on Indonesian broadcaster TVOne showed what appeared to be looting at a convenience store in the same neighbourhood.

Jokowi – who met this week with religious and political leaders to issue a unified call for calm -–blamed “political actors” for fanning the violence, without elaborating.

He reassured protesters that legal proceedings into Ahok’s alleged transgressions would be concluded “quickly and transparently”.

Indonesia is home to the world’s biggest Muslim population, where a vast majority practice a moderate form of Islam. – with reports from Sakinah Haniy and Natashya Gutierrez/Rappler.com