Muslim hard-liners have protested in Indonesia's capital against Facebook's blocking of accounts belonging to the group.

About 200 protesters, organized by the Islamic Defenders Front, known by its Indonesian acronym FPI, marched after Friday prayers from a mosque to the Facebook Indonesia office in south Jakarta, halting traffic as they chanted "Allah Akbar," or "God is Great."

Many carried banners saying "Don't persecute Muslims."

FPI spokesman Slamet Maarif said they were demanding an explanation of why Facebook had blocked the group's accounts while allowing ones that denounced its leaders and Islam.

Facebook spokeswoman Putri Ariani said it removes content that promotes hatred and violence against people with different views.

FPI has a long record of vandalizing nightspots, hurling stones at Western embassies and attacking rival religious groups.