Atrium closed after clash

Atrium closed after clash

JAKARTA: Approximately 150 Perisai Bangsa taxi drivers staged
a protest at the Plaza Atrium shopping center in Central Jakarta
on Tuesday, resulting in a clash that damaged the glass entrance
to the shopping center and forced the building management to
close up shop for the day.

The incident came a day after a fight between a Perisai taxi
driver and a plaza security guard, Maruli. The scuffle began when
Maruli asked the taxi driver to move his vehicle because it was
backing up traffic.

A war of words soon followed and Maruli ended up with five
stitches in his forehead.

The management of Plaza Atrium later contacted the taxi
company, which promised to send some people to the shopping
center on Tuesday to settle the matter. But the only people who
showed up were protesting taxi drivers.

The taxi drivers said the plaza's security personnel gave
preferential treatment to drivers from other cab companies when
it came to dropping off and picking up passengers in front of the
shopping center.

"The management had turned the case over to the police... The
plaza will resume operation on Wednesday," the public relations
office of PT Segitiga Atrium said in a statement. --JP