Protesters attack mayor's office

Protesters attack mayor's office

PADANG, West Sumatra: More than 1,000 high school students
protesting the dismissal of a principal attacked the offices of
the mayor of Payakumbuh on Wednesday.

Ten people, including a policeman, were injured and schools
were closed for the rest of the day as tension gripped
Payakumbuh.

The students, from various junior and high schools in the
town, were venting their anger at Mayor Darlis Ilyas, who had
fired Ridwan Janur, the principal of SMU 2 high school. There was
no explanation as to why Ridwan was dismissed.

The students said that Ridwan's dismissal was unfair. They
demanded that the mayor be fired. They became enraged when
mayoralty employees came out in defense of Darlis. The offices
were badly damaged during the protest.

Darlis, who escaped unhurt, accused the speaker of the
mayoralty legislative council, Chin Star, of masterminding the
protest because of a personal grudge, but Chin denied the
accusation. (28)