No FPI protest at City Hall

No FPI protest at City Hall

JAKARTA (JP): The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) members did
not show up to stage a protest at the compound of City Hall as
was expected.

Dozens of police officers stood guard at the compound
immediately after the Friday prayers. The security officers had
closed the compound's front gate while barbed wires were also put
behind the fence.

However, until 3 p.m. none of the FPI members showed up.

"We were notified about the FPI members' planned protest this
morning as the group was not satisfied with the governor's
decision to keep the nightspots open during the fasting month,"
chief of the City Control Center for Social Disturbances Raya
Siahaan said.

"That's the reason why we notified the police and was fully
prepared for their arrival," he added.

City Hall had several times suffered from the unruliness of
the group. During the last fasting month, FPI occupied City Hall,
demanding the closure of nightspots during the month. The group
had also wrecked the fence of the compound without clear reasons
last month.

Separately, a staffer at the FPI secretariat said the members
did not have any plan to stage a rally in front of City Hall but
the group was annoyed that the governor had ignored their request
for a dialog with them.

"We have sent the letter twice but they ignored it. Maybe, we
should come and pay them a visit," the staffer said. (dja)