Students Close Down McDonald’s Restaurant in Riau

JAKARTA (JP): A group of students staging a rally on Wednesday sealed off a McDonald's restaurant and called on people to boycott U.S. products, Antara reported.

Members of the Riau branch of the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) said that the move was aimed at protesting the U.S., which they say, often interferes in the domestic affairs of other countries, including Indonesia.

The restaurant's closure and the boycott of all U.S. products, they said, were meant to pressure the U.S. government.

During the rally, they also regretted the attitude of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who has not made a reaction to the possibility of a U.S.-led military attack on Iraq.

The students distributed thousands of leaflets, calling for a total boycott of all U.S. products and companies.

Separately, the Riau Police said that they were prepared to protect all U.S. companies in the province.

"We have undertaken the necessary precautions to protect U.S. companies here, such as (oil giant) PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia, from people's moves to protest the U.S.police spokesman Adj. Comr. S. Pandiangan said.