INDONESIA: Muslims Block Christians from Prayer Meeting

Muslim protesters use blockades and loudspeakers to disrupt Christian worship services.

Muslim protesters formed a human chain to block Christian worshipers from attending a planned Christmas worship service on 14 December 2025, near the capital city of Jakarta, Indonesia. Videos on social media show the group holding anti-Christian banners and shouting jihadist slogans. Some protesters held or pushed Christians who tried to get through the line.

“We only want to worship peacefully,” one Christian said in a video. “We have no intention of disturbing anyone.” This was the third such blockade of this church, and local authorities have provided a temporary location for the church’s worship services.

Though the government has made steps to protect minority religious groups, Front-Line Workers report that Indonesian society has become more Islamic in recent years with Islamic extremist groups targeting churches for demonstrations, legal complaints and violence.