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urakarta: In the wake of wild fuel-price protests in the region over the past month, the Surakarta municipal administration canceled one of its major Earth Hour events on Saturday, in which residents were expected to turn off their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

But Deputy Mayor FX Hadi Rudyatmo said he would not put the entire event at risk, even though the House of Representatives decided early Saturday to postpone a decision on the planned increase in subsidized fuel prices. “It’s okay for the car-free night to be canceled. What matters the most is the campaign and the turning off of the lights,” Hadi said in Surakarta, Central Java.

The administration initially planned to close Jl. Slamet Riyadi to traffic as part of a car-free night on Saturday as part of Earth Hour. All street lights along the road were also to be switched off. Various cultural and art performances in the street had been organized. Those performances were shifted to another street.

“I just don’t want any irresponsible individuals to damage stability in Solo [Surakarta] city by making use of the Earth Hour momentum,” Hadi said.

Separately, the mayor’s assistant overseeing economy, development and people’s welfare, Eni Tyasni Suzana, said that although the car-free night was canceled, most other activities to celebrate Earth Hour still took place.

Only the site and the times were changed, to Ngarsopuro from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Earth Hour event coordinator Budi Prajitno said the right decision was made.

“We understand the municipal administration’s decision as it was taken for the sake of avoiding unnecessary chaos,” Budi said.