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Mass want peaceful rally
The mass at Al-Azhar mosque hopes that the rally will go on peacefully.
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Traffic officers reroute traffic in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Friday in anticipation of the mass rally. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
H
undreds of people including some lecturers from Al-Azhar Islamic University in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, hope for a peaceful rally.
"Before we move [toward the Presidential Palace], please take wudhu [ritual ablution] for those who have not taken one," a coordinator of the group said through a megaphone. "I want to remind you that on our way there [to Central Jakarta] we will just recite shalawat [praising the prophet] so we will not use our time to curse."
The mass, men and women, clad in white Muslim attire and caps, gathered near the mosque within the university compound after performing Friday's prayer. They then had lunch, which was provided freely by the organizer, before marching to Central Jakarta.
The coordinator reminded participants to keep order including walking on roadsides to avoid disrupting traffic.
The rally, to be kicked off Friday afternoon, is expected to see 50,000 people from multiple Islamic organizations swarm Jakarta’s streets. They demanded the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy. (yan)
