Hundreds Arrive in Jakarta ahead of Friday`s Anti-Ahok Protest
3 November 2016 10:04 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - People coming from a couple of regions have arrived at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta to join the rally on November 4. “We have yet to now how many,” the Istiqlal Mosque protocol officer Abu Hurairah Abdul Salam told Tempo on Thursday.
Abu, however, estimates that there were a thousand of them. He expects to see more arriving this noon.
According to Abu, they came from East Java and Lampung. The protocol does not allow any visitor to spend night at the Istiqlal Mosque. However, the mosque officials have made exception on this occasion. “They have came from afar, it would be unethical to told them to leave,” he said.
Tomorrow’s protest will be held at the State Palace after the Friday prayer. Reports said that 50,000 people from all over Indonesia will take part in it.
Protesters will demand police to charge Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy. Roughly 100 people had reported Ahok to police on the allegations.
EGI ADYATAMA