Indonesia: Christians Prevented from Attending Christmas Service as Muslim Protesters Chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ Under Police Watch

Image: Jihad Watch

Tensions flared in Indonesia’s West Java Province on December 14 when a group of Muslims formed a human barricade to prevent Christians from attending a Christmas service, as reported by local media. The incident unfolded in Jayasampurna village, Serang Baru Sub-District, Bekasi Regency, near Jakarta, and was witnessed by police officers who remained present at the scene.

According to reports, Muslims—many of whom were from outside Jayasampurna village—blocked members of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestant Church (HKBP) from reaching a prayer post located near the Green Cikarang housing complex, where the congregation had planned to celebrate Christmas. The obstruction effectively halted the service, despite the church’s longstanding use of the site for worship.

Videos circulating on social media captured the confrontation in stark detail. Dozens of Muslim men and women were seen holding hands to form a human chain, shouting anti-Christian remarks and repeatedly chanting the jihadist slogan “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Greatest”). The footage also shows members of the congregation being pushed back as they attempted to pass through the blockade, while numerous police officers and bystanders watched from nearby without intervening.

In one video, a Christian congregant is heard pleading for calm, saying, “We only want to worship peacefully—we have no intention of disturbing anyone.” Despite such appeals, the standoff continued, with protesters maintaining their blockade throughout the attempted service.

Protesters displayed banners to justify their actions, with one reading, “We, the Muslim residents of Jayasempurna village, firmly reject the construction of illegal houses in our neighborhood forever.” The statement appeared to reference claims that the prayer post lacked proper permits, a frequent point of contention in disputes involving minority religious communities in parts of Indonesia.

Local outlet harianterbit.com reported that this was not an isolated incident. Muslims from outside the area had reportedly blocked the HKBP congregation from worshiping at the same location on two earlier Sundays, November 30 and December 7. The church, according to the report, had been using the site for religious services for approximately seven years without major incident prior to these disruptions.

In response to the escalating situation, local authorities convened a mediation meeting on December 15, overseen by the Regent of Bekasi. During the talks, both sides agreed to a temporary arrangement under which the HKBP congregation would hold its services at the Interfaith Harmony Forum office in the city of Jababeka.

Further efforts at reconciliation followed. On December 18, Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs hosted another mediation session involving both parties. According to the state news agency Antara, the meeting concluded with eight agreements, including a mutual commitment to forgiveness, the resolution of permit-related issues for prayer facilities, and assistance from the Ministry to ensure that the church could celebrate Christmas. The outcome was presented as a step toward restoring calm and safeguarding religious observance amid ongoing tensions over worship rights and local regulations.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)