Authorities closed the Thessalonika Christian Ecumenical Fellowship Church in Teluknaga, Indonesia, after services on Friday over a “building permit issue,” forcing the congregation to worship elsewhere on Easter.

The Tangerang Regency Public Order Unit (Satpol-PP) carried out the sealing after receiving pressure from several clerics (kyai), Islamic students (santri), and representatives of the surrounding community following Friday Muslim prayers.

The crowd began approaching the foundation’s office area around 1:00 p.m. after Friday prayers. They demanded the sealing because the building lacked a Building Permit (PBG).

Oktavianto Pardede, chairman of the Thessalonika POUK Foundation, emphasized that their worship activities do not disturb the surrounding environment.

“This location is far from the mosque, and we have used soundproofing. We have also coordinated with the sub-district office and Satpol-PP,” he explained.

Oktavianto explained that they had attempted to soundproof the building to avoid disturbing residents, given that the Building Permit (PBG) application they had submitted had been stalled for the past three years.

As a short-term solution, the Tangerang Regency Government has prepared the former Teluknaga District Office Hall as a temporary location for worship.

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