November 2016 Jakarta protests
November 2016 Jakarta protests refer to an Islamist mass protest which took place on 4 November 2016 in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was attended by an estimated 50,000–200,000 protesters, and was aimed against the Governor of Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, for alleged blasphemy of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. A counter-protest led by government officials and social activists in support of interfaith unity was led on 30 November.
A group of Indonesian National Police officers (foreground) standing within the protest attendees (background). Several protesters can be seen waving Indonesian flags alongside the flags of their respective Islamist groups.
Protests against Ahok in Jakarta, 4 November 2016
The Islamic Defenders Front was an Indonesian hardline Islamist organization founded in 1998 by Muhammad Rizieq Shihab with backing from military and political figures. Since 2015, Ahmad Shabri Lubis has been the organization's leader, while Rizieq Shihab holds the title of Grand Imam of the FPI for life.
The FPI originally positioned itself as an Islamic religious police, mostly by conducting illegal and unauthorized vigilante operations. It also acted as an Islamist pressure group with prominent social media activism and mass mobilizations against pro-government activists, ethnic Chinese, Christian minority, as well as liberal and reformist politicians.
Current logo of Islamic Brotherhood Front, launched on 17 August 2021.
Undated photograph of Habib Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, founder of the Islamic Defenders Front