People run amok in Surakarta over a drag race stoppage

JAKARTA (JP): Only a day after a bloody clash between villagers in Bali that killed at least three people, a mob of about 1,000 people rioted in the Central Java town of Surakarta in the early hours of Sunday.

According to police, at least 10 people were injured, and two buildings on a Surakarta-Yogyakarta intercity street were damaged in the incident that erupted after police attempted to disperse hundreds of spectators of a drag race.

Two cars parked in the police station compound were torched, while a number of public facilities like phone booths and traffic signs were also vandalized.

Those injured included four police officers who were pelted with stones by the mob. Six others sustained similar injuries.

The house of Surakarta regional police chief Col. Zainal Abidin, which is near the damaged police headquarters, was also pelted with stones by the mob.

Police said they have detained 50 people for questioning over their alleged involvement in the riot.

"We'll investigate this incident. We believe there were people who masterminded this because the mob had already dispersed. But suddenly, they got together again and went on a rampage," the police said.

The rampage started at about 11:30 p.m. after police tried to disperse a crowd of hundreds of spectators of a drag race along the Jl. Urip Sumohardjo-Jl. Slamet Riyadi street.

According to the police, the unauthorized racing event had disturbed traffic.

The crowd dispersed but gathered again at about 2:30 a.m. and began marching to the police station and started to riot.

By 7 a.m., the situation was under control, Zainal said.

Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily said the crowd was offended because police had dispersed them with batons.

In the Buleleng regency's Banjar subdistrict, it was reported that 600 police and Army personnel had been deployed to maintain order in the Cempaga and Kedawa villages.

On Friday, villagers here were involved in a mass brawl allegedly triggered by a "misunderstanding" between residents of the two villages.

Bali Police Chief Brig. Gen. Gunawan told SCTV television station the incident did not happen because of differences in political views of the residents.

At least three people died, while 18 were injured in the clash. In addition, four cars, 13 motorcycles and five houses were burned and dozens of other houses were vandalized.

It was earlier reported that those injured were members of the Indonesian Democratic Party under Megawati Soekarnoputri. (har/aan)