Police shave the heads of detained youths at a school in Aceh Besar (Picture: REUTERS)
Punks at concert in Indonesia punished under strict Islamic law
Indonesians living a punk lifestyle have been punished and ‘cleansed’ by police acting upon Islamic law at a concert.
MetroUK – Cowering before police before their heads are shaved, you would be forgiven for thinking these are hardened criminals.
But they were among 65 punk rock fans arrested by baton-wielding police at a concert in Indonesia.They had attended an event in the northern province of Aceh, the only region of the predominantly Muslim nation of 240million to impose strict Islamic law. Tearful ‘offenders’ had their spiky mohawks buzzed off and body piercings stripped away.‘Why? Why, my hair?’ said Fauzan, a 20-year-old punk rock fan. Dog-collar necklaces and chains were also taken from the youths, who were thrown into water for ‘spiritual’ cleansing, police chief Iskandar Hasan said yesterday.
After replacing their ‘disgusting’ clothes, he handed each a toothbrush and barked ‘use it’.
The youths’ ‘moral rehabilitation’ involves ten days of military-style discipline and religious classes before they are sent home, Mr Hasan added.
Youths have complained about police harassment before but it is not clear why Saturday’s concert was targeted.
Members of the punk community were punished by authorities (Picture: EPA/HOTLI SIMANJUNTAK)
An Indonesian police woman cuts the hair of a detained punk at a police school in Aceh Besar in Aceh province (Picture: AFP/Getty)
Youths stand in the pond located at a police school, after having their heads shaved (Picture: REUTERS)
“Moral rehabilitation” huh? That should work. I guess this might come across as an ignorant comment, but did everybody else know that Islam was enforced in Indonesia? Not this guy. Can you imagine how fast these cops would be thrown in jail for life in the USA? Real fast.
“Hey you punker. Get over here! Gimme that hair… gimme those clothes… gimme those piercings…gimme those chains, those dog collars…now get your naked ass in the dirty pond for a cleansing… and brush your damn teeth!”
-bp