Bandung artist afraid to die

Bandung artist afraid to die

BANDUNG: An artist hanged himself in public yesterday -- not to commit suicide but to entertain the public and dramatize his protest against an unpopular policy of the local government.

The scene was part of the more than 100 local artists' protest of the city administration's plan to turn a cultural center building into a tourism office.

Antara reported that the artists tied up a colleague and hanged him on a tree on Jl. Naripan near the disputed building during rush hour.

While the man swayed gently, with his feet 1.5 meters above the ground, a group of artists encircled him and played musical instruments.

The protest triggered traffic jams in nearby streets as motorists slowed down for a glimpse of the action. Dozens of riot police could not stop the hundreds of pedestrians from flocking to the scene. (pan)