Unknown group attacks cafe, restaurant in Kemang

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of men attacked the Salsa Club cafe and the Pasir Putih Seafood Market Grill & Bar, both in Kemang, South Jakarta, on Saturday night, causing losses of hundreds of millions of rupiah.

Kemang area is well known as home to many cafes, restaurants, and art galleries.

Several witnesses told The Jakarta Post that the gang, all dressed in black, arrived at Pasir Putih on Jl. Kemang Raya in three minibuses at about 11 p.m. and immediately stormed into the restaurant.

"There were about 200 guests who were dining when they came through the front door and started destroying stuff," A. Ridwan, general affair manager of the restaurant, said.

He said the men were armed with daggers, swords, sickles, steel chains, even axes.

"Our guests panicked and ran to save themselves through the backdoor. Some of our guests were cut by broken glass. One of our employees turned off the lights so the mob could not see but they had their flashlights ready."

The group forced several guests to hand over their cellular phones and wallets.

"That wasn't just a raid, that was also a robbery, I'm telling you," Ridwan said, adding that the management did not know if any guests had been attacked by the group.

Ridwan said the unidentified men destroyed all the musical instruments and sound system components. The mob also destroyed cash registers and other equipment.

"We estimate that we lost Rp 1 billion from the attack," Ridwan said.

He added that he did not have any idea where the mob had come from.

"But, I'm sure they were not from FPI (the Islamic Defenders Front) because these people were much more violent than FPI," Ridwan said, referring to the group known to have been raiding entertainment centers in the capital.

The mob left Pasir Putih and went directly to the Salsa Club which is located some 200 meters away.

Marketing and communication manager of the club, Teges P. Soraya, said the mob destroyed expensive equipment including ice cream machines and cash registers.

"They even stole one of our VCD players," Teges said.

She said that the mob destroyed many bottles of alcoholic beverages.

"But they drank some of the beverages, too," Teges said.

Both Ridwan and Teges said that they had yet to decide if they wanted to file a lawsuit against the attackers.

"Who could we sue? We don't know who these people are," Teges said.

Ridwan said that his business would wait for the police to identify the mob so they could sue the attackers.

Separately when contacted by the Post by phone, Mampang Police subprecinct chief Asst. Supt. Suwito said the police had yet to identify the group.

"We're still investigating and so far, we haven't made any arrests," Suwito said. (jaw)