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Tito booed as he addresses anti-Ahok protesters
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Mass protest: Thousands of people march to the National Monument square in Central Jakarta on Friday to participate in a mass gathering to push for the arrest of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama in a blasphemy case. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
N
ational Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian faced a tough crowd on Friday as he addressed participants of a mass gathering of protestors to demanding the arrest of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama for blasphemy.
"Get off [the stage]!" many protesters shouted at Tito prior to his speaking at the opening of the gathering at the National Monument (Monas) square.
(Read also: Worshipers flock to Monas for anti-Ahok gathering)
The National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesia Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) chairman Bachtiar Nasir, whose organization initiated the gathering, attempted to calm the protesters who kept booing Tito even as he made his statement, by urging them to respect him as a representative of the state.
Tito said the legal case against Ahok was almost complete. He also urged the rally participants to support the legal process.
The crowd responded to Tito by yelling “Prove it, prove it!"
Tito, however, remained unperturbed.
"Let's pray and bring our hearts close to God and for the guidance of Muhammad SAW," he said.
Last month, the National Police named Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, a suspect of blasphemy over a comment on a Quranic verse Ahok had made during a visit to Thousand Islands regency in late September. (hwa)
