The riots erupted on Wednesday morning after an Ash Wednesday mass at the Imaculata Cathedral in Atambua town, located on Indonesia’s border with East Timor.

Reports said the unrest was sparked after a Protestant man, who had joined his Catholic girlfriend at the mass, allegedly crushed his Communion wafer – an action deemed blasphemous by the Catholic worshippers.

After the service ended, worshippers and others sought to attack the man, identified as Jacob T. (27), but he was given refuge in a priest’s room until police arrived. As police led the man away, the crowd demanded he be handed over and forced to apologize for his action. When police ...