Antiwar protesters begin targeting U.S. interests

Antiwar protesters begin targeting U.S. interests

Damar Harsanto and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

With a war in Iraq apparently drawing closer, anti-American
protesters began to target United States' interests on Wednesday
as the police here announced they were ready to protect
foreigners and foreign assets in the capital.

Dozens of youths grouped in the Islamic Youth Movement (GPI)
rallied in front of a McDonald's outlet on Jl. MH. Thamrin in
Central Jakarta and stopped customers entering the restaurant in
protest against the U.S. plan to invade Iraq.

No violence was reported as dozens of customers, including
foreigners, watched the rally from inside the restaurant, which
is open 24 hours a day.

The protest lasted 10 minutes, after which the youths
continued their protest at the United Nations building just
across the road from the restaurant, and later the U.S. Embassy
on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan.

In front of the embassy, the youths burned tires in addition
to making speeches deploring the planned invasion.

The same anti-war protest took place in the Central Sulawesi
capital of Palu when hundreds of students barricaded a Kentucky
Fried Chicken outlet and scared away customers.

In a bid to anticipate a possible backlash following a U.S.
attack on Iraq, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo
confirmed that the police were on alert for further antiwar
protests across the city.

"We have beefed up our strength to protect assets linked to
the U.S. and its allies, including Britain, Portugal and Spain,
due to heightened security concerns in the capital," Prasetyo
said.

Prasetyo, however, declined to reveal how many police officers
would be deployed to provide security in Jakarta.

He also said the police would intensify its patrols to monitor
the city's security situation.

Separately, an advisor to National Police chief Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar, Insp. Gen. Sudirman Ail, said the police had held a
meeting with security officers from all embassies in the country
to anticipate public protests against an attack on Iraq.

"As well as the U.S. and its allies, we will also provide
protection for all other foreign interests here," he said during
a meeting with religious leaders.

Sudirman said that police would be deployed primarily in
public places such as shopping centers and office buildings.

"We suggest that foreigners should stay at home in the event
of a wave of antiwar protests," he said.

Sudirman also disclosed that the police had formulated a
contingency plan should the security situation worsen. He did not
elaborate, however.

Earlier, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar revealed
that 250,000 police personnel would be ready to protect the
interests of the U.S. and its allies here.

He said the Indonesian Military (TNI) was also on standby to
back up the police.

So far, there had been no threat to foreigners or their
interests here, Da'i said.

On Wednesday afternoon, some soldiers were seen helping police
and security guards search the bags of visitors to a McDonald's
outlet.