Lunch quells violent crowd

Lunch quells violent crowd

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman won over a mob by appealing to their stomachs over the weekend.

When hundreds of people began to burn Golkar flags at Senen market in Central Jakarta over the weekend, Noegroho, clad in civilian clothes and accompanied by several plainclothes officers, approached the crowd.

He asked the mob why they were burning the flags and what they wanted. "Meals, Sir. We are starving," came the reply.

Noegroho assured them meals were no problem as long as they calmed down, Antara reported.

He honored his promise the next day, bringing 1,500 lunches to street children and beggars gathered at Senen sports stadium.