Protesters, officials almost come to blows

Protesters, officials almost come to blows

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: A anti-illegal logging protest on
Monday nearly turned into brawl in Kendari, capital of Southeast
Sulawesi province.

Dozens of environmental activists had been staging a heated
protest outside the Southeast Sulawesi Council, demanding the
government to prosecute those people responsible for illegal
logging in Muna regency.

A councillor, La Ode Halami, apparently became enraged and
yelled at the protesters to leave the vicinity. This angered the
activists, who punched the councillor, but the incident was
prevented from degenerating into a fistfight by other councillors
and council staff. -- JP