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Police ready to handle large anti-Ahok rally this week
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Police officers stand guard as thousands of Muslims rally in front of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Feb. 21. The rally was held to demand that the government speed up the handling of a blasphemy case implicating Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and detain the governor. JP/Seto Wardhana. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he police said on Wednesday that they would deploy hundreds of officers to handle a large rally on Friday organized by radical groups demanding the arrest of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy.
The rally, which is popularly called “Aksi 313,” is expected to draw more than 20,000 participants. It will be a follow-up from previous protests such as “Aksi 411” on Nov. 4 and “Aksi 212” on Dec. 2 last year. Ahok’s blasphemy trial is still ongoing.
(Read also: Jakarta Police to deploy 10,000 personnel to anti-Ahok rally)
“We have not yet received a notification letter [from the rally coordinator],” Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar told reporters at the National Police headquarters, adding that police officers would ensure that the demo did not descend into anarchy.
Police have asked the rally coordinator to give them detailed information on the route that demonstrators would take. (hol/dan)
