Indonesian Christians Seek Legal Action After Church Service Disrupted by Threats

Members of the Indonesian Protestant Christian Church (GKPI) in Banten Province are pursuing legal action following a disruption of their worship service on September 20, 2026. During the incident in Mekarsari village, a man identified as 29-year-old Aji Cahyono Putra entered the church premises brandishing a machete. Video footage shows the individual threatening the congregation with violence if they continued to meet, leading the 40 attendees to vacate the building immediately.

While the perpetrator later issued an apology during a local mediation meeting, church representatives and human rights advocates argue that legal accountability is necessary to prevent future acts of intolerance. Bonar Tigor Naipospos of the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace emphasized that failing to prosecute such threats could embolden further disruptions against minority religious groups. Following the confrontation, local officials ordered the closure of the church site. Advocates are now calling for consistent enforcement of Indonesia’s criminal code to ensure the protection of religious freedom for all citizens.