Barring the sharia-ruled province of Aceh, homosexuality isnot illegal in Indonesia, the world"s largest Muslim-majority country, althoughit is generally considered taboo.
The rainbow LGBT flag was flown alongside the British flag atthe country"s embassy in Jakarta on May 17 to mark the International DayAgainst Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, according to an Instagram post bythe embassy.
Alumni 212 Brotherhood, an influential conservative Islamicmovement, in a statement said the flag sullied the "sacred values ofIndonesia".
Teuku Faizasyah, foreign ministry spokesperson, confirmedBritish ambassador Owen Jenkins had been summoned.
"The foreign ministry reminds foreign representatives tobe respectful of the sensitivities among Indonesians on matters relevant withtheir culture, religion and belief," he said.
A British embassy spokesperson did not immediately respond toa request for comment.
Faizasyah said that though an embassy is a sovereignterritory, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations stipulates only thatnation"s flag can be flown.
Indonesia is becoming less tolerant of its LGBT community assome politicians become more vocal about Islam playing a larger role in thestate, according to activists and human rights groups.
A 2020 survey by the Pew Research Center also showed that 80%of Indonesians believe homosexuality "should not be accepted bysociety".
Last week, Indonesia"s chief security minister said a revisionof the criminal code being deliberated by parliament included some articlesaimed at the LGBT community, a move backed by some conservative lawmakers.
His remarks followed a backlash over a popular podcast thatwas forced to scrap an episode this month in which a gay couple wasinterviewed.
