Indonesian protesters react as police shoot tear gas next to two burned cars outside the presidential palace in clashes that marred an otherwise peaceful rally against governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian accused of insulting Islam, in Jakarta on
JAKARTA: Indonesian police said one person had died and 12 were wounded during clashes on Friday, after tens of thousands of hardline Muslims rallied to demand the resignation of the Christian governor of the capital, Jakarta, over allegations of blasphemy.
The person who died was an elderly man and eight police officers were injured after protesters threw rocks, bamboo and other objects, Jakarta police spokesman Awi Setiyono told Reuters by telephone.
Four protesters were also hurt, he said.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protesters in front of the Presidential Palace earlier in the day. Local media also showed footage of a fire close to the nearby National Monument, with thick black smoke billowing.
(Reporting by Eveline Danubrata; Editing by Alex Richardson)
