Indonesia's police chief had earlier claimed that Friday's rally might be used in an attempt to occupy parliament. Before dawn that day, police said they had detained eight individuals who allegedly planned to take advantage of the demonstration.
Source/Credit: The Christian Daily
By Lorraine Caballero | December 4, 2016
Indonesian police have foiled an attempted uprising against President Joko Widodo's government amidst a massive protest on Friday over a Christian governor's alleged blasphemous remark.
About 150,000 Muslims clad in white gathered around the National Monument in Jakarta on Friday for prayers and to demand for Christian governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, aka Ahok, who is accused of insulting Islam, to be sent to jail. However, police said the crowd had also planned an uprising against Widodo, Reuters details.
"The suspicion is that among other things there was a link to plans to attempt subversion, and to take advantage of conditions today," police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar said. "They had another agenda aside from prayers."
During a protest by hardline Muslims on Nov. 4, President Widodo had accused "political actors" of encouraging violence. Indonesia's police chief had earlier claimed that Friday's rally might be used in an attempt to occupy parliament. Before dawn that day, police said they had detained eight individuals who allegedly planned to take advantage of the demonstration.
Governor Ahok, who is seeking re-election in February against two Muslim candidates, is currently under investigation after he made some remarks about the use of the Koran. He reportedly claimed that the Koran was being used by the other candidates in their campaigns. He has already apologized for what he said, although he continues to deny the accusation.
According to Indonesian Institute of Science political researcher Siti Zuhro, the Christian governor will have a hard time reclaiming his frontrunner position in the gubernatorial race after the latest protest. He said the rally is proof that Ahok faces strong public resistance, The Jakarta Post relays.
Nevertheless, Zuhro said the court's decision in Ahok's blasphemy case could convince undecided voters if the Christian governor receives a "not guilty" verdict. It is worth noting that Ahok's popularity rating has plunged from 59.3 percent in March to 49.1 percent in July and 31.4 percent in October due to the public's response to the blasphemy issue, based on a survey from Poltracking Indonesia.
Read original post here: Indonesia: Police foil uprising plot against Widodo amid massive protest over Christian governor
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