10.000 Police Personnel to Secure Feb 21 Anti-Ahok Rally

Jakarta (Antara Babel) - The Jakarta Metropolitan Police will deploy some 10 thousand personnel to ensure security during a February 21 rally outside the parliament building here, a spokesman said.

"Police officers are ready to guard the rally," spokesman for the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono said here on Sunday.

He said the police received a notification from the rallys coordinator on Saturday (Feb 18) stating a plan to stage a rally on Tuesday (February 21).

Participants of the rally will march to the parliament building at around 07.00 a.m. after they perform Subuh prayers.

They will demand that Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) be sentenced on charges of religious blasphemy.

Argo asked the participants of the rally to maintain public order during the rally. He also asked participants of the rally to disperse before 06.00 p.m. in accordance with Law No. 9/1998 on delivering views before the public.

The National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulemas Councils Edict (GNPF MUI) and the Muslim Forum (FUI) said earlier they will stage a rally on Tuesday (Feb 21) to guard the legal process of the Ahok case.