Fans killed in football stampede
Carnage after pitch invasion and police shoot tear gas to spark a fatal crush
A STAMPEDE at a football match in Indonesia has left at least 125 people dead and 180 injured.
Fans fled in panic when police fired tear gas following a pitch invasion.
Thousands surged towards the exit gates, where many victims were crushed or trampled. A five-year-old child is understood to have died in the chaos.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino said: “This is a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension. I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives following this tragic incident.”
The disaster – one of the world’s worst stadium tragedies – came at the end of a match between rivals Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya, in Malang, East
Java, on Saturday. Hundreds of home fans had run on to the pitch to remonstrate with the players following their side’s 3-2 defeat at Kanjuruhan Stadium.
It holds 42,000 and was sold-out. Persebaya fans had been banned from attending because of fears of clashes.
Witness Muhamad Dipo Maulana, 21, said fans were beaten by police on the pitch, with tear gas then being fired into the stands.
He added: “Police with dogs, shields – and soldiers – came forward.
“There was a lot, like bang, bang, bang! The sound was continuous and fast. It was directed at all the stands.” Two officers died in the mayhem and East Java’s police chief Nico Afinta defended the use of tear gas, saying: “It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers and damaged cars.”
At least five vehicles were torched outside the stadium.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo ordered the suspension of the country’s top division pending a probe.
Chief security minister Mohammad Mahfud said: “To the victims’ families, our condolences.
“We also hope they will be patient and continue to co-ordinate with the government officials in the field.”
Mourners gathered outside the stadium yesterday to lay flowers in memory of the victims.
FIFA specifies in its safety regulations that no firearms or
“crowd control gas” should be carried or used by stewards or police.
And Indonesia’s Legal Aid Foundation yesterday said: “The excessive use of force through the use of tear gas and inappropriate crowd control was the cause of the large number of fatalities.”
Indonesia is due to host the FIFA Under-20 World Cup next year.
This is a dark day for all involved in football.. I extend my condolences GIANNO INFANTINO FIFA BOSS ON FATAL STADIUM DISASTER