Several hundred protesters from a group called Forum for Bekasi Muslim Friendship staged a rowdy demonstration in front of the Santa Clara church in Kaliabang, a neighborhood of Bekasi city, after Friday prayers.

Witnesses said police fired tear gas as the protesters tried to force their way into the church, which has been under construction since November. Some also threw rocks and bottles into the site.

Raymundus Sianipar, a Catholic priest, said police asked him to leave the area for safety reasons.

Militant Islamic groups frequently protest against the minority faiths and police often do not intervene. Members of minority religions that aren't recognized by the state face persistent discrimination.

Ismail Ibrahim, a cleric and organizer of the protest, said they would not disperse until authorities cancel the church's construction permit.

The church in the northern part of Bekasi has been the target of protests by hard-line Muslims since it obtained its permit in June 2015. Some claim the church's leaders used false identity cards to get the permit.

In April last year a Muslim group sealed off the church, tore down its sign and demanded that the mayor cancel the permit.

The private Asian Human Rights Commission has started an appeal on the church's behalf, asking for supporters to send letters to 10 top Indonesian leaders, including President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

About 12,000 Catholics in the Bekasi region currently meet in store fronts or business premises that serve as informal places of worship.

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