Dancers being attacked by an angry mob? Just the latest sign of rising anti-LGBT sentiment in Indonesia
- The perpetrators, members of a Malay youth paramilitary organisation, justified their actions by claiming the dance was ‘vulgar’
- Other recent instances of homophobia include the banning of a film for promoting LGBT ‘ideology’ and an attack on an HIV prevention organisation
The attackers were members of the local branch of Laskar Pemuda Melayu (Malay Youth Paramilitary), who claimed the dance was too vulgar to be displayed in public and the event promoted LGBT lifestyles. They also said that the wearing of tight shirts by male dancers from Tanjungpura University who were “dancing femininely” was not compatible with Indonesian culture.
In the video, a dozen men can be seen beating the group of dancers before being dispersed by the police. Claims that officers were dispatched by the mayor’s office were dismissed by Kamtono, who said there had been a miscommunication between the event’s organiser and the police.
The violence was apparently sparked by an earlier social media video that was just seven seconds long, which accused the event of promoting LGBT lifestyles.