Council members take prison van

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Council members from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) were forced to ride in a prison van after a group of protesters interrupted their inauguration ceremony on Friday.

Hours before the ceremony was to begin, PDI Perjuangan supporters staged a protest, waving banners and calling the newly elected legislators agents of "corruption, collusion and nepotism". The group, who said the legislators were the people of their choice, demanded the ceremony to be canceled.

A fistfight ensued and the council members were evacuated in the van for their safety.

The inauguration ceremony finally took place later in the day at Mataram mayoralty hall. (49/edt)