Only a day after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lashed out at government protesters who reportedly likened him to a water buffalo, the Jakarta Police moved quickly to ban buffaloes from street rallies.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said Wednesday bringing animals into rallies violated a 1998 law on public expression of opinion as it could cause disorder.

“There is no guarantee that demonstrators can keep the animals from being provoked and threatening other people’s lives,” Boy said, adding that the they were prone to anger  when worried by crowds.

The police also halted a second attempt to parade a buffalo in a rally at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Wednesday. A pick-up van carrying a buffalo from Bekasi in West Java was denied entry to Jakarta as it was passing Kalimalang in East Jakarta.

In a rally to mark Yudhoyono’s 100 days in office on Jan. 28 at the HI traffic circle protesters led a buffalo with a large picture of the President attached to the animal’s behind. Apparently angered, Yudhoyono called Tuesday for dialogue on civilized behavior in demonstrations.

House of Representatives lawmaker Desmond J. Mahesa from the Greater Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) criticized the President for being over-sensitive. He said the President needed to show he was stronger.

“A leader must be able to show a strong character,” Desmond said.

Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party faction chairman, Anas Urbaningrum, said the President wanted to maintain the proper status of rallies in a serious democratic nation.

University of Indonesia’s political communications expert Effendi Gazali told The Jakarta Post he could understand the President’s anger for being maliciously attacked.

“In politics, it is not about how low can you go, but about maintaining your dignity,” said Effendi.

He considered the lack of respect of the demonstrators was driven by frustration and disappointment with the failure to heed their voices.

In defense of Yudhoyono’s complaint, presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha asked the public to respect the President as a “symbol of the nation”.

Speaking on the sidelines of a government meeting in Cipanas, West Java, Julian said it was such an irony for the President who gained much respect abroad was not “appreciated”  by some people at home.

Erwida Maulia and Hasyim Widhiarto contributed to the story.

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