Indonesians Display Defiance Toward Jakarta Attackers Through Rallies and Social Media

As their country recovers from and tries to piece together what led to Thursday’s terrorist attacks in the capital city Jakarta, Indonesians planned a defiant rally Friday at the site of the bombings that left at least seven dead and nearly two dozen others injured.

The rally, entitled “We Are Not Afraid of Terror,” is set to take place at 4 p.m. local time on Friday, according to a widely shared poster on social media.

Participants have been asked to wear white and bring flowers, as well as posters that show “fighting terror.”

The Southeast Asian nation’s citizens have refused to be cowed by the attacks — claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) militant group — with photos of street vendors selling food and snacks near the attack site just hours after they took place going viral on Thursday and Friday.

Many are also using the hashtag #KamiTidakTakut, which translates to “we are not afraid,” and a version of the famous “peace symbol” illustration created after last November’s Paris attacks — replacing the iconic Eiffel Tower with Jakarta’s National Monument — also did the rounds.

Others chose to respond in a more lighthearted fashion, with other popular hashtags focusing on an attractive police officer spotted among the first responders.

— With reporting by Yenni Kwok