Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – A protest was staged Wednesday against the alleged assault of reporters by Air Force soldiers, who had been trying to stop them from covering an eviction at the force's housing complex in Neglasari subdistrict.

The Tangerang-based Journalists Working Group (Pokja) demanded that the Air Force Military Police investigate the case.

"We demand a public apology from the Air Force chief of staff and for the Indonesian Military chief to instruct soldiers not to take violent action against journalists doing their jobs," Pokja chairman Chandra Eka said.

The incident took place Tuesday when a number of TV reporters and photojournalists were covering the eviction of the old residents of the missile unit housing complex, which is soon to be occupied by active soldiers.

The unit invited the reporters into the housing complex at about 10 a.m. When negotiations between the officers and the current occupants turned sour, the reporters were sent away.

At about 12 p.m., the soldiers started to force out the occupants of the eight houses in the complex. Reporters who tried to record the eviction by climbing the wall were pulled down by the soldiers.

Later, one of the evictees smuggled in the reporters through a back entrance and allowed them to tape the eviction. But the soldiers found them out and chased them away.

Vince from TV Banten said the soldiers threatened to shoot him, while Legowo of TV7 said he was choked by a soldier and dragged away. SCTV's Abdul Rosyid and Trans TV's Ika Rahayuningsih said they were kicked.