by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
JAKARTA (Worthy News) – Dozens of residents, including Christians, have been rescued from a halfway house in Indonesia’s West Java province after local Muslims stormed the building because it had been used for church services, Christians told Worthy News.
Footage obtained by Worthy News on Sunday showed a large crowd storming the complex, taking away a wooden cross and smashing windows inside the house in Cidahu District’s Tangkil Village in the Sukabumi Regency area of West Java.
Witnesses also said the garden area was damaged, “the gazebo behind the house was destroyed, and the rear toilet facilities were damaged” in Friday’s incident.
Residents reportedly pushed a black Honda Beat motorbike into the nearby river, and the masses broke down the house’s gate.
“The spontaneous action was triggered by the suspicion that the house was often used as a place of worship for Protestant Christians without permission,” a local source said.
As many as 200 residents flocked to the location, Christians said. “They demanded that the worship activities be stopped. There was an act of vandalism against several facilities at the halfway house,” Christians explained.
“We have been conducting mediation since April 2025. But the worship activities still continued,” added a local community leader who did not want to be named.
SECURITY OFFICERS
Police rushed to the scene and asked the demonstrators to disperse. “Security officers successfully evacuated 36 residents of the halfway house and three cars to a safe place. This was done to avoid clashes and further damage,” police said.
Authorities put up police lines around the halfway house, which guarded it to anticipate further actions, witnesses said
There were no reported fatalities in this incident, but concerns remained about Maria Veronica Ninna, who owns the safe house.
The material losses are estimated to be quite large, Christians said. The incident highlighted broader concerns over pressure on devout Christians in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation.
Several (home) churches have had their worship services stopped by angry Muslims and extremist groups or did not receive official permissions to operate, Worthy News learned.
Christian leaders say more than 10 percent of Indonesia’s 282 million people identify as ‘Christian,’ though the real figure could be higher.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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