In the wake of revelations that Australian intelligence wiretapped the cell phones of the president, the first lady, and other key ministers, some 500 hardline protestors called for the Australian diplomatic core to be expelled.
Referring to the bombing of the Australian embassy in 2004, a senior leader of the Islamist group Hizbut Tharir implied that it was a shame more blood had not ben spilt.
"When a bomb exploded in front of the embassy it was only a problem because it did not get inside," he told the crowd.
The 2004 embassy bombing killed nine people and injured more than 150 others.
Following the revelations of Australia’s espionage in Indonesia, the senior Hizbut Tahrir figure said that spilling the blood of the ‘infidels’ was legitimized.
As the protestors attempted to push their way into the embassy they met a wall of Indonesian police who restrained them with tear gas, shields and bamboo sticks.
The demonstration swelled when hundreds of members of the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) decked in white Islamic garb, including women and children, joined the fray.
Members of the Islamic thug group – infamous for forcing Lady Gaga’s so-called ‘pornographic’ concert in Jakarta to be cancelled last year – also burned Australian and American flags as they chanted “Allah Akbar, God is Great.”
Speaking atop a truck encircled by flag wielding supporters, one FPI leader called for the demise of the embassy compound.
"Hopefully after we leave from here hopefully this place will be on fire."
One student group even constructed a mock coffin, laden with Australian flags and headshots of the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Friday’s demonstration marks the second consecutive day of protests and an escalation in discontent among fringe nationalist and Islamic groups over Australia’s unwillingness to apologize for its role in the US-led spy network in Asia.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono described the reaction of its touted closest neighbor as ‘belittling’ before he recalled the Indonesian ambassador to Australia and suspended all military cooperation and intelligence sharing with the country earlier this week.
The president also officially appealed to Mr Abbott to apologize, urging him to explain the extent of Australia’s surveillance operations and agree to a code of conduct in the future.
Speaking in Bali on Friday Indonesia’s police chief General Sutarman confirmed that police cooperation had also been halted.
General Sutaraman said that if people smugglers were arrested in Australia, Indonesian authorities would prosecute them on their own.
"Before we always handled it together [with Australia], now we handle it ourselves… If it happens within Indonesian borders, then it's our responsibility and we will handle it alone," he said.
In further blowback, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan has asked the parliament to revise a law that will allow Indonesia to import live cattle from countries other than Australia.
Indonesian state owned firm Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia also froze any pending business deals with Australia in the wake of the spying revelations on Friday.
President Yudhoyono is currently awaiting an official reply from his Australian counterpart.
