Istiqlal Mosque, Central Jakarta © Flickr
Police promised to investigate the assault.
13 Februari 2017 11:00
Metro TV reporter Desi Fitriani and cameraman Ucha Fernandez reported the abuse they suffered during Feb. 12 rally to Central Jakarta Police on Sunday.
Desi and Ucha were assaulted whenthey were reporting a rally held at Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, on Saturday morning, where thousands gathered from early morning to pray together.
The incident started when the two journalists, accompanied by Yaudi, a security officer, tried to take some footages inside the mosque.
Upon entering from the mosque's side entrance, several people started shouting, threw mineral bottles at them and pushed them out.
The crowd threatened them and cursed the media they work in.
Desi said that she was hit by blunt objects on the head while Ucha was also beaten and kicked.
Both suffered bruises and non-serious injuries.
"We were escorted out of the mosque when I got hit using a property of the rally, probably some kind of wood," Desi toldBrilio.net on Sunday.
Ucha, Desi and Yaudi luckily were saved by military officials who later accompanied them to the Jakarta Cathedral located next to the mosque.
Jakarta Police Chief Ins. Gen. M. Iriawan promised on Saturday that the police will investigate the assault.He also added that violence against journalist should never happen.
The 11/2 rally was formally titledMarch to Defend the Religion and Ulema. It was a continuation of two previous massive rallies against Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama last year.
Itwasorganized by The Muslim People Forum (FUI) and The National Movement to Safeguard Indonesian Ulema Councils Fatwa (GNPF MUI) and joined by thousands ofthe organizations' supporters.
Jakarta Police had warned the organizers to cancel the rally but the organizers said that the event would not be political and continued their event planning anyway.
