Police, street vendors clash in Sidoarjo

Police, street vendors clash in Sidoarjo

SIDOARJO, East Java: Police clashed with hundreds of street
vendors demonstrating in the East Java city of Sidoarjo on
Tuesday against the local administration's move to evict them
from opening stalls in the Jl. Gajah Mada area.

The police fired warning shots for at least ten times to
disperse the protesters, who then fled the scene in panic to Jl.
Raden Patah.

There were no reports of casualties or injuries after the
demonstration.

The clash, which erupted at 9:30 a.m., was sparked by the
protesters' move beating plainclothes security personnel who
wanted to park their cars in the area.

Earlier on Monday night, city public order guards had forcibly
ordered the protesting street vendors to abandon the JL. Gajah
Mada area because it would be used for a parking lot. --Antara