A tearful governor of Jakarta denied Tuesday he had intended to insult the Quran at the start of his blasphemy trial in the Indonesian capital, which is seen as a test of religious freedom in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.

Around 100 Muslim protesters calling for the jailing of Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama chanted "God is great" outside the court, while supporters of the ethnic Chinese Christian sang the national anthem.

A cordon of police stood guard outside the court after Muslims, led by hard-liners, took to the streets this month and in November, to call for Purnama's arrest and to urge voters not to re-elect him in February.