Tension high after raid on VCD vendors in Glodok<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Tension was high in the Glodok area in Kota,
\nCentral Jakarta, on Thursday, after Taman Sari Public Order
\nOfficers demolished VCD vendors' stands along the road during a
\nraid on the vendors on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
On Thursday morning vendors gathered in front of the Glodok
\nElectronics Mall to retaliate against the officers, but police
\npersonnel from Taman Sari Police subprecinct managed to subdue
\nthem.<\/p>\n
Police also closed Jl. Pinangsia and parked a number of police
\ncars and motorcycles on both ends of the road.<\/p>\n
Fearing that the tension would result in rioting, all shops
\nalong Jl. Pinangsia in Glodok closed and private security guards
\ntightened security in front of shop premises.<\/p>\n
The tension was also compounded by rumors that the Public
\nOrder Officers would conduct a second raid to remove the VCD
\nvendors' stands from the area.<\/p>\n
During Wednesday's raid, there was reportedly a skirmish
\nbetween vendors and the Public Order officers, but there were no
\nreports of rioting.<\/p>\n
The raid was conducted because the vendors had disrupted
\ntraffic, not because they sold pirated VCDs.<\/p>\n
Many vendors, however, opened their stands as usual on
\nThursday in the area.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile some 50 vendors who were unable to do business
\nstaged a protest at the City Council.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot sell VCDs anymore as the Public Order Officers
\ndemolished our stands. Where else can we earn a living,\" Manumpak
\nBatubara, the spokesman for the protesting vendors, said.<\/p>\n
Manumpak said that the raid was unjust as there was no
\nagreement reached yet between the vendors and the Public Order
\nOffice over the plan to remove the vendors from the area.<\/p>\n
He said during their meeting with Taman Sari administration
\ndistrict head on Sept. 11, they were told that the district
\nadministration would build a public park on Jl. Pinangsia Raya
\nbut there was no plan to ask them to leave the road.<\/p>\n
He said that the Public Order Officers also singled them out
\nas many other vendors were still allowed to sell VCDs along the
\nroadside.<\/p>\n
He added that between 200 and 300 vendors' stands had been
\ndemolished by about 400 officers of the Public Order Office on
\nWednesday night.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tension-high-after-raid-on-vcd-vendors-in-glodok-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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