Jakarta – Police say it will be business as usual on Sunday, when Islamic groups are expected to gather again at Monas square in Gambir, Central Jakarta, exactly two years after a large rally against the city's former governor.

"[The gathering] is small. The Gambir Police can handle it," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said, as quoted by tempo.co on Thursday, adding that the event would not need a significant number of personnel to be deployed.

A group calling itself the 212 Rally Alumni was established to gather people who were involved in the rally on Dec. 2, 2016, to call for the prosecution of then-Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian of Chinese descent, for blasphemy.

The Jakarta Police said there would be no special traffic arrangements during the gathering. "There will be no specific things [in terms of traffic management] for the event on Sunday," said the head of the police's traffic directorate, Sr. Comr. Yusuf.

He also said the weekly Car Free Day (CFD) event on the nearby thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin would run as usual. "Some traffic arrangement is routinely carried out because of the CFD," he added.

The head of the 212 alumni protest group, Slamet Maarif, previously said his group had registered the gathering both with the police and the city administration. (sau)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/11/30/212-reunion-rally-to-be-small-this-year-police.html