Serious Drama as Muslim School Students Protest Against Valentine's Day

Forum 7 years ago

Serious Drama as Muslim School Students Protest Against Valentine's Day

Some Indonesian muslim school students have staged a protest against Valentine’s Day on Monday, denouncing what they said was a Western celebration that encourages casual s*x, The Straits Times.

While teenagers in many countries treat the day as an occasion to declare love for their classmates, in the Indonesian city of Surabaya it was a different story as students from one school held a noisy demonstration.

“Say no to Valentine!” chanted the students, who were aged between 13 and 15 and included many girls wearing headscarves.

It was the latest expression of anger at Valentine’s Day in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, where Islamic clerics and some pious Muslims typically use the occasion to target what they see as Western decadence.

“This protest was organised as we have seen on television that Valentine’s Day tends to be associated with free sex,” said Pandu Satria, organiser of the demonstration that was attended by scores of students. “That makes us afraid.”

Ida Indahwati Waliulu, headmaster of the school which is run by an Islamic organisation, added: “There is a certain pride about this positive action carried out by the students.”

Several cities across the country also banned people from celebrating the occasion.