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Friendly approach to control Friday's rally
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Duty calls: Members of the police’s elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) pray at the National Monument in Jakarta on Wednesday ahead of their deployment to secure the planned Nov. 4 rally. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
I
n an apparent move to win the hearts of would-be protesters, the National Police will deploy hundreds of personnel wearing Muslim attire during the planned massive rally on Friday in Jakarta.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Awi Sutiyono said 500 of the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) would wear white Muslim caps and clothing over their uniforms during the rally organized by multiple Muslim groups to demand the prosecution of gubernatorial candidate and incumbent Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy.
“This is our attempt to prevent protesters from sparking violence. The Brimob personnel will chant the Asmaul Husna [the 99 names of God] should the crowd become violent,” Awi said on Wednesday, adding that the personnel would also carry no shields or firearms.
In total, the National Police will deploy at least 20,000 personnel to secure Friday’s rally, which is expected to have around 50,000 people swarming Jakarta's streets in protest.
Ahok has previously apologized for causing uproar among Muslim groups and communities after he was accused of insulting verses in the Quran on Sept. 27 during his visit to the Thousand Islands regency. (hwa)
