Over 129 people died and nearly 180 people were injured during a stampede at a football match in Indonesia, according to reports. Police caned and tear-gassed the rioters soon as the members of fans clubs rushed into the ground on the final whistle, leading to suffocation and the stampeded. Two police officers were among the dead, the country’s chief security minister Mahfud MD said.
With the Arema FC being defeated by their bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya at Kanjuruhan stadium in East Java, supporters of the losing team entered into an argument with the officials while those hailing Persebaya also stormed into the ground leading to a clash.
Officials said that the number of spectators exceeded the stadium capacity by more than 4,000 people. President Joko Widodo has ordered for stopping all matches in Indonesia’s top league till the probe is complete.
As police used force to control the mob who attacked the officers and cars, large number of people tried to climb the fences and with crowds getting accumulated there, they suffered suffocation due to lack of oxygen.
Fifa, the body governing football matches in the world, states that no “crowd control gas” should be carried or used by the police at matches. The Indonesian football association said it had launched a probe and added that the stampede had tarnished the face of Indonesian football.
In Indonesia, violence at football matches is not new. Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya are long-time rivals.
Further, fans of Persebaya Surabaya were even banned from buying tickets for the game due to fears of clashes.
This post was last modified on 2 October 2022 10:13 am
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