Jessica Harkins, Jakarta – Indonesia's embattled Q! Film Festival continued on Thursday despite rumors of more protests and accusations that it dodged permit requirements to hold the festival.

Though festival organizers are going ahead with film screenings scheduled for Thursday, they have had to cancel Q! Gossip, a debate due to be held tonight, because some participants have withdrawn.

The topic for the debate was to be Queer vs. Media, a discussion on how the media represents the gay, lesbian and transgender community. Festival organizer John Badalu would not say why the participants had pulled out.

He said Jakarta Police had not received any notification that there would be protest activity today, although he had heard rumors there would be demonstrations at Erasmus Huis and the CCF.

The hard-line Islamic Defenders Front, as well as a small group of student protesters from the University of Indonesia have demonstrated against the festival.

Earlier on Thursday, Arie Budiman, head of Jakarta's Tourism and Culture Department said his organization had not received a proposal for the event, meaning the festival had not received the appropriate permits to go ahead. Beritajakarta.com quoted Budiman as saying the event would be stopped.

Badalu told the Jakarta Globe the festival never asked for permits, but it did submit a letter to Jakarta Police about the planned festival. He said it considered the festival events "private screenings" as they were for a limited audience and were free of charge.