Protest Against Buddha Bar

Seems like Indonesian Buddhists are still bothered by the establishment of the Buddha Bar restaurant in their capital city Jakarta eventhough this case has already being brought to court.

Earlier today about 300 people from a group who call themselves "People's Alliance To Close Buddha Bar protested outside restaurant as well as the French Embassy to put pressure on the French company that owns the Buddha Bar chain restaurants to revoke the license of it's Indonesian franchise holder.


Interestingly , the protest was participated by non-Buddhist too. Infact one of the group's spokesman is a Christian woman who claimed that despite her Christian faith , she felt the restaurant had insulted Buddhism and hurting Buddhists. She feared that the continuation of the restaurant would affect the inter-religion relations among the public.


A protester, a Buddhist man said the presence of Buddha statue inside the restaurant and prostitutes outside the restaurant had insulted his religion. Another elderly protester said "what's next Christ Bar, Islam Bar or Hindu bar ?"

I think the protesters should protester in front of the local authority that approved the operator of the restaurant instead pressuring the French government. This is a private affair, i don't think the French government would interfere in this issue. Though the restaurant itself isn't really a big issue but i do agree that it might set an unhealthy precedent for other business operators in the future, what's next " Buddha Massage Parlour ?".

Since the case has already gone to court, the people should allow the law to take it's course.