Residents take law into own hands

Residents take law into own hands

TANGERANG (JP): Hundreds of people burned and destroyed dozens
of dimly lit food stalls in several villages here Wednesday
evening, claiming the stalls had been used as brothels.

The destruction erupted after the stalls' owners ignored
residents' complaints.

The residents strongly opposed the existence of the stalls
because, as well as accusing them of selling sex, they said they
sold alcohol freely to patrons.

The destruction took place in the villages of Jatake, Legok
and Babakan in Legok district.

No fatalities were reported because both the stalls' owners
and the women who allegedly worked in them had been warned
beforehand that there would be trouble.

Deployed officers from the Tangerang Police precinct managed
to prevent the commotion from spreading to nearby areas by
midnight.

"No one was arrested in the episode," Lt. Col. Moch. Soleh,
head of the Tangerang social and political affairs office, said.
(41/hhr)