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Local vendors earn more from Friday protest
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Thousands of members of hard-line Islamic groups gather for a protest after Friday prayers on Oct. 14 at Istiqlal Mosque in Gambir, Central Jakarta, demanding that the police press ahead with legal action against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who is accused of making blasphemous remarks. (JP/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)
F
riday’s long march at Istiqlal Mosque, Central Jakarta, has attracted hundreds of street vendors from various areas of the city.
Vendors selling food, beverages, cigarettes and T-shirts set up shop at the grand mosque on Thursday evening, a day ahead of the rally, to take economic advantage of the rally expected to be attended by more than 50,000 people.
A bakso (meatball soup) seller introducing himself as Burhadi said business had never been as good as in the last two days, during which he had sold more than 100 portions a day. The protesters, he said, did not mind the higher price set for a bowl of bakso.
"I’ve raised the price from 10,000 to 16,000 a portion, but it seems they are OK with that," he told The Jakarta Post.
Another vendor, Hestianingsih, had also earned more money than usual during the long march. She said she usually set up shop at Gambir Station in Central Jakarta. As the train station was very quiet today, she moved operations to the mosque.
"I am glad there is a mass rally here. I just hope there will be no violence,” she added. Thousands of protesters from various cities swarmed the capital on Friday in a rally to demand Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama be criminally charged for alleged blasphemous remarks.
Ahok has apologized for causing an uproar among Islamic groups and communities after he was accused of insulting verses in the Quran during his visit to the Thousand Islands regency on Sept. 27. (ebf)
