Makassar – Efforts to evict residents from a disputed 4,900-square-meter land parcel failed Tuesday after squatters, laying claim to the land, fought back against 470 police personnel.

The squatters, accompanied by lawyers from the Makassar Legal Aid Foundation and student groups, blocked off the road to the area and hurled Molotov cocktails, rocks and bamboo spears at the police.

In a move right out of the Keystone Kops manual, the police then fired teargas at the squatters, only to have the headwind blow it straight back at them.

In the ensuing panic, they decided to call it a day and dispersed. Ownership of the land was granted to Goman Wisan by the Supreme Court in 2006, but the squatters have refused to leave.