Bomb hoax mars mining protest

Bomb hoax mars mining protest

CIREBON, West Java: A bomb hoax marred the second day of a
protest by around 500 illegal sand miners at the Cirebon
legislative council, West Java, on Wednesday.

As protesters dispersed, council staff found a suspicious
object wrapped in a plastic bag placed near the perimeter fence.

A police bomb squad later arrived to examine the black bag and
found it was only a hoax.

"The bag contained only two small pieces of coconut fruit
wrapped in paper and cloth. Cables were also there," said local
bomb squad chief Adj. Second Insp. Agus Robintus.

Wednesday was the second day of a peaceful protest by
residents from Argasunya neighborhood, Harjamukti subdistrict,
against the closure of an illegal mine there.

They marched to the Cirebon mayor's office on Tuesday,
protesting the closure by the local administration, which has
rendered them jobless. -- JP