Another “you can’t make this stuff up” moment from Aceh. “Aceh officers get into fisticuffs over ‘un-Islamic’ dance,” from the Jakarta Post, August 8:
A fight broke out between members of the Banda Aceh public order agency and the province’s sharia police unit Thursday, during a musical stage show held to celebrate their respective 58th and 4th anniversaries.[…]
The fistfight began when sharia police operations commander Syafrudin said one of the dances did not reflect an Islamic atmosphere and should be stopped instantly, Marzuki said.
A quarrel ensued when several public order officers objected. Syafrudin and public order commander Tarmizi exchanged blows, before a scuffle broke out between members of the two units.
The event was then closed down.
“The fight would not have happened had the sharia police officer asked politely,” Marzuki said.
No casualties were reported in the incident.[…]
The Aceh Islamic Sharia Office has four ordinances on the implementation of sharia in Aceh, one each on Islamic dress code, alcohol, gambling and immoral acts.