Christians attend a church service at the HKBP Filadelfia Church in Bekasi, Indonesia.
Islamists in Bekasi, Indonesia tossed stones and bags of urine at Christian worshippers during Ascension service on Thursday.
The Jakarta Globe reported, via ROP:
A mob of Islamic hard-liners threw stones and bags of urine at the HKBP Filadelphia congregation of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, at an Ascension Day service on Thursday. Police tried to stop the mob of some 300 people, but were also attacked, according to reports.
“They assaulted the congregation members,” Rev. Palti Panjaitan told the Jakarta Globe on Thursday. “Police tried to talk to them, but the mob passed through police and showered us with urine and dirty water. Others threw stones at us.”
The mob reportedly attacked the congregation as the service started, and also shouted profanity and threats.
“Even after the service, which lasted one-and-a-half hours, the mob chased after us,” Rev. Palti said. “Thank God the police escorted us to a safe area.
HKBP Filadelphia submitted an application for a building permit in 2007, but church leaders say that despite meeting all the requirements, including the agreement of their neighbors, a permit was never issued.
The Islamists threw urine, sewage and frogs at the congregation.
The Jakarta Post reported:
HKBP Filadelfia’s Rev. Palti Panjaitan said that the group of people blocked access to the church building at 8:30 a.m. when the congregation was about to enter and start the service.
“We [the congregation and the people] were only separated by a barricade of policemen who managed to protect us even though the intolerant people were trying so hard to break through the barricade,” Palti told The Jakarta Post.
“They threw urine, sewage and frogs at us — all of which also struck the policemen,” he added.
