Dolly in Surabaya was once said to be the largest red light district in all of Southeast Asia but in 2014 the local government, led by Mayor Tri Rismaharini (better known as Bu Risma) shut down and banned all prostitution in the area.

Be sure to check out “Dolly Revisited: The brothels are gone but the sex trade lives on” – our in-depth report and video feature on the aftermath of Dolly’s closure

Many sex workers and locals who had business in the area protested the closure, and activists argue that shutting down Dolly simply shifted the sex trade underground.

Two years on, it seems there are still people pushing for Dolly to be reopened and even resorting to threats of violence to try and make it happen.

An official working at Bu Risma’s office, Riaman, said the office received a bomb threat over the phone yesterday afternoon around 3:30 pm.

“The threat is that if Dolly was not reopened within three days, then the mayor’s office and the Surabaya City Government building will be blown up,” Riaman said yesterday as quoted by Vivanews.

Riaman immediately reported the threat to his superiors and the police. The East Java police bomb squad quickly arrived on the scene to sweep the buildings for explosives but found none.

Grove: Coconuts Brand Studio

Fast. Funny. Digital. We produce creativity that delights and influences customers. Join forces with us to slay buzzwords, rise above the noise, and sow the seeds of something great.