Tension high after raid on VCD vendors in Glodok

JAKARTA (JP): Tension was high in the Glodok area in Kota, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, after Taman Sari Public Order Officers demolished VCD vendors' stands along the road during a raid on the vendors on Wednesday night.

On Thursday morning vendors gathered in front of the Glodok Electronics Mall to retaliate against the officers, but police personnel from Taman Sari Police subprecinct managed to subdue them.

Police also closed Jl. Pinangsia and parked a number of police cars and motorcycles on both ends of the road.

Fearing that the tension would result in rioting, all shops along Jl. Pinangsia in Glodok closed and private security guards tightened security in front of shop premises.

The tension was also compounded by rumors that the Public Order Officers would conduct a second raid to remove the VCD vendors' stands from the area.

During Wednesday's raid, there was reportedly a skirmish between vendors and the Public Order officers, but there were no reports of rioting.

The raid was conducted because the vendors had disrupted traffic, not because they sold pirated VCDs.

Many vendors, however, opened their stands as usual on Thursday in the area.

Meanwhile some 50 vendors who were unable to do business staged a protest at the City Council.

"We cannot sell VCDs anymore as the Public Order Officers demolished our stands. Where else can we earn a living," Manumpak Batubara, the spokesman for the protesting vendors, said.

Manumpak said that the raid was unjust as there was no agreement reached yet between the vendors and the Public Order Office over the plan to remove the vendors from the area.

He said during their meeting with Taman Sari administration district head on Sept. 11, they were told that the district administration would build a public park on Jl. Pinangsia Raya but there was no plan to ask them to leave the road.

He said that the Public Order Officers also singled them out as many other vendors were still allowed to sell VCDs along the roadside.

He added that between 200 and 300 vendors' stands had been demolished by about 400 officers of the Public Order Office on Wednesday night.