REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - As a precaution to save its citizens abroad, France's Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault instructed to close 20 French Embassies, including in Indonesia. French Embassy to Indonesia stated that they would obey the instruction.

"According to the instruction, we will shut our embassy in Jakarta for a day, which is on Friday (21/9)," the Press Attaché at French Embassy to Indonesia, Dominique Roubert, said on Thursday.

The measure is an anticipation towards violent protest over Prophet Muhammad PBUH cartoon published in French magazine. The satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo featured several caricatures of the Prophet showing him naked in what the publishers said was an attempt to poke fun at the furor over US film trailer mocking Islam and Prophet Muhammad PBUH. French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, advised French citizens in Indonesia to be aware. He also condemned Charlie Hebdo for its irresponsible act.

Some protests

French embassy in Tehran was protested by Iranian students on Thursday. The protesters shouted "Death to France, death to America" and held placards urging the French people to demand their government respect sacredness and humanity, Fars news agency said. A witness said only about 100 people demonstrated, while security forces kept tight control.

Hundreds of Afghans also protested. About 300 students on Thursday chanted "death to France, death to America" in a western neighborhood of the capital Kabul, as cited on AFR. Hundreds more gathered on a flyover and chanted "death to America" and "long live Islam, long live Afghanistan". Both demonstrations were peaceful.

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