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Jakarta Police to deploy 10,000 personnel to anti-Ahok rally
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Millions of Muslims rally demanding that the police arrest Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for alleged blasphemy.
(Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
T
he Jakarta Police are ready to beef up security ahead of Tuesday’s rally by several Muslim groups in front of the House of Representatives complex. The protesters will demand the incarceration of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahja Purnama. The police are preparing to deploy 10,000 personnel to keep the rally under control.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said the groups, including the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) and the Muslim People’s Forum (FUI), had sent letter of notification detailing their plan to the police.
Argo said that based on the letter, the rally would begin at 7 a.m. and would demand that Ahok be jailed for blasphemy.
“The police are ready to safeguard the rally,” Argo said as quoted by Antara.
Separately, the Indonesian Military has strongly denied allegations that its chief, Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, had played a role in the mass rallies that have rocked the country of late, a rumor that is circulating on social media.
“TNI clarify that TNI chief had nothing to do nor any connection with this movement, this is a H.O.A.X,” tweeted a TNI spokesman on the Twitter account @Puspen_TNI. (idr/dmr)
