Around 129 people have died with 180 injured during an Indonesian league football fixture according to the local police. Fans of the Javanese rival clubs Arema and Persebaya Surabaya clashed after the Singo Edan suffered a 3-2 defeat in Malang Regency, East Java.
The Arema supporters invaded the pitch and authorities fired tear gas, which caused a crowd stampede and cases of suffocation, as per East Java’s police chief, Nico Afinta. Thirty-four people died in the Kanjuruhan stadium and the others died in hospital, and 180 were injured. Two police officers also lost their lives.
According to local reports, up to 3,000 audience members jumped on the field, out of a crowd of 40,000. Police said 13 vehicles were damaged, including 10 police cars. Images from the stadium during the stampede showed huge amounts of tear gas and people climbing over fences. People were carrying injured spectators through the chaos.
The Indonesian government released a statement regarding the disaster and promised to investigate its circumstances. “We’re sorry for this incident ... this is a regrettable incident that ‘injures’ our football at a time when supporters can watch football matches from the stadium,” the Indonesian sports and youth minister, Zainudin Amali, told broadcaster Kompas. We will thoroughly evaluate the organisation of the match and the attendance of supporters. Will we return to banning supporters from attending the matches? That is what we will discuss.”
The Indonesian football league has been suspended for one week after the incident.
