It was all caught on video.
Indonesian officials have addressed a recent controversy involving a video that shows Muslims disrupting a church service in Banten Province. The Tangerang Regency government has since arranged a temporary worship site for the Thessalonica Church congregation, which had previously been holding services in an unauthorized rented house in Puri, Kampung Melayu Timur Housing, Teluk Naga Subdistrict, Tangerang Regency.
The video, which surfaced on July 21, depicts a group of men in traditional Indonesian Muslim clothing interrupting the church service. They argued that the church was operating in a predominantly Muslim area and criticized the congregation for using a rented house for worship. The footage shows the intruders expressing hostility and Islamic slogans, leading to a tense confrontation.
Teluk Naga Police Chief Wahyu Hidayat has noted his confusion over why the footage, which dates back to March, only recently became public. He emphasized that the conflict had been resolved peacefully months ago, and the situation was under control.
According to Indonesia’s 2006 Joint Ministerial Decree, only permanent places of worship require official permits, while temporary gatherings in private homes or other non-permanent venues do not. Rights activist Permadi Arya has argued that this should apply equally to Christian worship spaces, just as Muslims do not need permits for prayer rooms. Nonetheless, some Islamic extremists have used the permit requirement as a pretext to target churches.
Indonesia ranks 42nd on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List, which identifies countries where Christians face significant challenges. The report notes that as Indonesian society has become more conservative, churches, particularly those engaged in evangelism, are at increased risk from extremist groups.