Indonesian Playboy's publishers are weighing whether to print again after violent protests over the first issue, now being offered on eBay as a collector's item. The first issue on April 7 was a tame affair by the standards of the US original, with less flesh visible than on many beaches, including those on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, or than in many magazines already for sale in the country.
Even so, the power of the Playboy name as the iconic symbol of relaxed Western attitudes toward sex drew strong opposition in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. A demonstration last week at the building housing Playboy's offices turned violent. Protesters threw rocks and broke windows, prompting the publishers to move the operation elsewhere. That protest and others created security concerns, spokesman Priambudhi said by phone on Friday. "Playboy is considering safety and security for its staff. The consequence is no editorial activity now." |