Jakarta – Anti-riot troops fired shots at a crowd ripping up flags of Indonesia's ruling Golkar party in Jakarta Friday, an AFP photographer said. The state Radio Republic Indonesia said five people had been injured, but two hospitals contacted by AFP said they had not received any casualties.

Some 200 anti-riot troops opened fire in the air in front of a crowd of less than 1,000 people who had been ripping up party symbols along the roadside. When the crowd started throwing rocks at the troops, they then fired towards the group, the AFP photographer said.

Police said one motorcycle was burned by the crowd, but declined to give further details. A witness said another motorcyle and a car were damaged by mobs.

The shooting came on the last day of the largely-peaceful 17- day campaign period before general elections Monday, the first since the fall of former president Suharto in May of last year amid widespread rioting.

Suharto was the patron of Golkar, whose members voted him back into power for seven consecutive terms. Golkar was one of only three official parties allowed under Suharto.

The incident occurred as a convoy of Golkar supporters was heading for a rally to be addressed by party chief and former state secretary Akbar Tanjung in northern Sunter, and had to pass by the Senen commercial area, the radio said.

Crowds on the street in Senen began pelting the convoy with rocks and tore up the flags and symbols flying from the cars.

A witness said after the shooting the area was heavily patrolled by troops, and crowds were still milling about on the streets. Jakarta police Major General Nugroho Jayusman was on site trying to calm the crowd and calling for them to disperse.

In another incident in central Jakarta outside the Sahid Jaya Hotel, supporters of Golkar and the Indonesian United Democracy Party scuffled, a hotel staff member said. But it was unknown who started the trouble. One PUDI supporter was slightly injured on his hand and taken to the hotel medical centre for treatment.

In a third incident in the Bendungan Hilir area, south of the hotel, people pelted another passing Golkar convoy, but security forces stepped in swiftly to quell any trouble.