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Jakarta Post

Tangerang police to beef up security ahead of Christmas

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, December 15, 2017

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Tangerang police to beef up security ahead of Christmas Congregation members of Santo Laurensius Church in Alam Sutera, Tangerang in Banten create a Christmas tree from soft toys, Dec. 22, 2015. (Antara/Lucky R.)

T

angerang regency police are set to deploy 922 personnel comprising police and military officers to provide security for Christmas celebrations at 78 churches and six tourist spots across the area, the police chief has said.

The police held a meeting to discuss the planned security measures with military officers, a representative from the religious ministry, members of the Tangerang Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and the Nahdlatul Ulama Tangerang chapter at Graha Pemuda Tigaraksa building on Friday 

During the meeting, Tangerang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sabilul Alif said the police would set up metal detectors at the churches to prevent terror attacks.

“The security officers will ensure that no one brings explosive substances or anything else prohibited by law to the sites,” Sabilul said on Friday.

Several conflicts over religious differences have previously occurred in Tangerang regency. 

Last week, a copy of a draft regulation on limiting non-Muslim worship in Rajeg sub-district was circulated widely on the internet. 

The draft stipulated that residents of minority religions would be permitted to use their homes as places of worship only if they did not invite other people or clerics from outside their housing complex. The use of amplifiers when performing rituals would also be prohibited. 

In October, the construction of a Catholic school in Cikupa was hampered by the spread of fake news that the largest church in South East Asia was being built.

The hoax snowballed into a protest on Oct. 4, which saw 500 people gather around the construction site to demand the project's termination.

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