Thousands of Muslims Accuse Jakarta Governor of Blasphemy

Thousands of Muslims stormed Jakarta, Indonesia, demanding their Christian governor be prosecuted for offending Islam. 

TIME reports the protest was filled with threats aimed toward Gov. Basuki Purnama, more commonly known by his Chinese nickname Ahok. Thousands of devout Muslims gathered at the city's largest mosque holding banners reading "Kill Ahok" and "Detain Ahok."

The demonstration soon spiraled out of control when protesters started throwing bottles and rocks and government buildings. When police retaliated with clouds of tear gas, the mob began burning cars and rioting in neighborhoods.

When asked why he joined the protest, on man told TIME, "because of my religion. All of the religious followers are offended. If we follow Islam, we should be offended."

The mob was offended by Purnama's recent response to Muslims who were enraged that a non-Muslim is in power.

He said in a Septemeber speech, "Ladies and gentlemen, you don't have to vote for me because you've been lied to by those using the Quran's Surah al-Maidah verse 51. That's your right."

Radical Muslims errupted in anger and have since called for his death or prosecution. Purnama apologized for his comment and clarified he was not criticizing the Quran itself. 

"Very few people have had the courage to suggest that what Ahok said was aimed not at the Quran, but at the people who were using a Quranic verse to suggest that a non-Muslim couldn't govern non-Muslims," Sidney Jones from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta told TIME.

"What's at stake is the quality of Indonesian democracy: Will public policy continue to be set by hard-liners and mass action in the street, and will anyone stand up for the right of non-Muslim Indonesians to have an equal right with Muslims to govern?" Jones asked.