70 Muslims Storm Indonesian Church to Stop Christians From Fixing Their Own Leaking Roof

Indonesian Muslim Mob Forces Church to Stop Basic Roof Repairs Despite Legal Registration

On March 1, 2026, approximately 70 Muslim residents descended on the Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP) in Kulim Jaya village, Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, forcing an immediate halt to the church's ongoing roof repairs.

At least 20 of the group forcefully entered the wooden church building where repairs were underway. They were accompanied by local police and the head of Lubuk Batu Jaya Sub District, a man identified only as Armin, who demanded the church produce a permit before any work could continue.

The church, built in 1995, is officially registered with Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs and holds all required legal documents. Pastor Faber Manurung stated in a press release that the building had deteriorated to the point of being unsafe.

The church's planks were rotten and crumbling, the roof leaking, and it was completely unsuitable and uncomfortable for worship.

Pastor Faber Manurung said.

One Christian woman, captured on video during the confrontation, pleaded with the crowd: "We're repairing the roof because our church is leaking. If it's not repaired, where will we worship?"

Church leaders have attempted to renovate the structure since 2010, but area residents have repeatedly blocked their efforts. The church sits in the middle of a palm plantation, far from the nearest population center.

The Indonesian Christian Youth Movement (GAMKI) condemned the actions. Chairman Sahat Sinurat said the events constituted "coercion and intimidation of church members who are simply exercising their right to worship according to their religious beliefs."

Rizka Putri Abner of the Indonesia for All Movement (PIS) highlighted the pattern: "When churches want to build or repair their church buildings, the excuses usually relate to permits and community approval."

Political observer Fritz Meko warned that "certain Muslim mass organizations are allegedly signalling the rise of the right wing, with particular ideologies that position themselves at odds with moderates and even the state."

Religious freedom monitoring organizations documented between 260 and 402 violations of religious freedom in Indonesia in recent years, according to the Setara Institute of Democracy and Peace, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), and other groups.

Batak Protestant Church in Indonesia Blocked From Repairing Unsafe Worship Building

The confrontation in Riau Province is the latest in a long pattern of Indonesian Christians being denied the right to maintain their own places of worship. Despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, local officials routinely side with Muslim majorities against Christian congregations.

Indonesia's new penal code, which took effect in January 2026, includes expanded blasphemy regulations that religious freedom advocates fear could be weaponized against minorities. The updated law recognizes "any living law," a vaguely worded provision that critics say intolerant officials could easily abuse.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let's call this what it is: 70 people showed up to stop Christians from fixing a leaking roof. Not building a new church. Not expanding. Fixing a roof that has been rotting for years. And the police came along not to protect the church, but to enforce the mob's demands.

If 70 Christians stormed a mosque in the West to stop basic maintenance, it would be international front page news for a month. There would be UN resolutions. There would be sanctions talk. But when it happens to Christians in Indonesia, silence.

This is not a permit issue. This is persecution dressed up in bureaucracy. These believers have had legal registration since 1995 and have been blocked from repairs since 2010. Sixteen years of a leaking roof because their neighbors decided Christians don't deserve a safe place to pray. That is evil, and it should be named as such.

Take Action

• Pray for Pastor Faber Manurung and the HKBP congregation in Kulim Jaya as they fight for the right to worship safely.
• Support persecuted Christians in Indonesia through The Shepherd's Shield, which provides direct aid to persecuted believers worldwide.
• Donate to Open Doors, which monitors and supports persecuted Christians across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.
• Contact the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC at (202) 775 5200 or email information@embassyofindonesia.org to urge protection of Christian religious freedom.
• Report Indonesia's religious freedom violations to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which already monitors the country.
• Share this story on social media to raise awareness about the ongoing persecution of Christians in Indonesia.