Irshad Manji injured in mob attack in Yogya

Irshad Manji. (Tempo/Suryo Wibowo)

Liberal Muslim activist and author Irshad Manji and her assistant suffered minor injuries after hundreds people from the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) attacked the writer’s book launch at the Institute for Islamic and Social Studies (LKiS) Foundation in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

According to tempo.co, Emily, assistant to the liberal Muslim activist, injured her right arm and her tape recorder was damaged in the attack. Irshad was injured by a plate thrown by an attacker, despite efforts of the organizers to protect her.

Dozens of men and women were also beaten by the mob.

The organizers took the shaken author to her hotel immediately after the raid.

Tri Wahyu, an activist from Yogyakarta who organized the event, said that organiers had informally notified the local police about the threats.

However, Bantul Police intelligence unit chief Sutikno said that the police were not informed and arrived late on the scene.

“We will investigate,” he said. (asa)