FPI attacks billiard center

FPI attacks billiard center

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Islamic New Year was marked by an attack by hundreds of
members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) on the Mekar Jaya
billiard center in Casablanca, South Jakarta, early on Friday
morning.

As with other raids staged by the group, the police failed to
prevent the vandalism from taking place.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara could only
call on the group not to take the law into their own hands.

"They could have reported to the police which spots remained
open during the holiday celebration rather than staging raids,"
he said.

Makbul did not say if any FPI members had been arrested for
the violent raid.

The FPI members arrived at Mekar Jaya at about 2:30 a.m. and
immediately entered the billiard center, which the group accused
of failing to respect the Islamic holy day. The appearance of the
group caused panic among visitors.

The FPI members began to smash windows and turn billiard
tables upside down. The violence was quickly over and the FPI
members then left the scene.

Before staging the raid on the billiard center, the group went
to several pubs and discotheques on Jl. Blora in Central Jakarta
and demanded that the nightspots close their doors for the night.

Because the nightspots were quick to give in to the threats,
the group did not vandalize the establishments. Dozens of police
officers were seen patrolling the Jl. Blora area prior to the
arrival of the FPI.

Earlier on Friday, the group, whose headquarters is located on
Jl. Petamburan III in Central Jakarta, went to a discotheque in
Plaza Hayam Wuruk in West Jakarta and demanded the management
close the establishment. A short argument ensued before the
management gave in to the threats.

This is not the first time the group has attacked nightspots.
Last December, the group raided pubs and cafes in Tebet, South
Jakarta, and a year earlier it destroyed cafes in Kemang, South
Jakarta.