International Christian Concern | Jan. 17, 2019
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 13, 2019, masses from the Griya Martubung Complex, Medan Labuhan Subdistrict in Indonesia’s North Sumatra held a protest against a house that was allegedly converted into a place of worship for Bethel Indonesia Church. In a video obtained by ICC, local residents surrounded Pastor Jans Fransman Saragih’s residence as Sunday service was about to commence. They pushed and shouted at church members, before demanding them to shut down.
A member of the church shared the video on Instagram and said, “We didn’t do things that were prohibited. Where is justice in this country? Where is our religious tolerance? God is with us.”
The head of the Medan Ministry of Religion Office, Al Ahyu, confirmed the incident and explained that the residents protested because the house did not have permission to operate as a place of worship, as stipulated by government regulations.