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)