Police Investigate Alleged Blasphemy at The Sounds Project Festival in Ancol

Police are investigating a viral video showing an alleged act of blasphemy during The Sounds Project music festival in Ancol, North Jakarta. The incident reportedly occurred at the venue on Sunday evening around 22:00 Western Indonesia Time.

The Head of Public Relations for the Metro Jaya Regional Police, Chief Commissioner Budi Hermanto, stated that the Pademangan Police have moved swiftly to process the case. Coordination has been carried out with the event organiser and booth owners to support the legal process.

‘Investigators have scheduled a summons for clarification against the event organiser and the master of ceremonies on Tuesday,’ Budi said in Jakarta on Tuesday. He added that the police will complete the administrative investigation and hold a case conference to determine the legal status of the matter. The police are also facilitating and providing space for members of the public who wish to file an official report regarding the incident.

The alleged blasphemy came to light after a video went viral on social media platform X via the account @Jakartatalk. The footage shows a beverage brand holding a challenge event for a visitor, during which the visitor read a verse from the Holy Quran, sparking negative reactions from netizens who deemed the act inappropriate.

In response to the uproar, The Sounds Project organiser issued an apology through its official account. They asserted that the challenge was conducted without direction or approval from the organisers. ‘We have never and will never tolerate any form of blasphemy or actions that offend ethnicity, religion, race, and inter-group relations by any party operating within our event area, including sponsors and cooperation partners,’ the organiser stated.