At least 174 Killed In Indonesia Stampede After Football Fans Invade Pitch

[daytrader]

127 Killed In Indonesia Stampede After Football Fans Invade Pitch
Supporters from the losing side had invaded the pitch and authorities had fired tear gas, leading to a crowd stampede and cases of suffocation, Nico Afinta told reporters.

Jakarta: Indonesian police said on Sunday that 127 people had died and 180 were injured after a stampede following crowd trouble at a football match in the province of East Java overnight.
After the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya had ended, supporters from the losing team had invaded the pitch and police had fired tear gas, triggering a stampede and cases of suffocation, East Java police chief Nico Afinta told reporters.

Video footage from local news channels showed people rushing onto the pitch in the stadium in Malang and images of body bags.

The Indonesian top league BRI Liga 1 has suspended games for a week following the match that Persebaya won 3-2 and an investigation had been launched, the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) said.

There have been previous outbreaks of trouble at matches in Indonesia, with a strong rivalry between clubs sometimes leading to violence among supporters.

NDTV

 

[MenInG]

At least 129 people have died in a stampede at an Indonesian football match, officials say, in one of the world's worst stadium disasters.

The stampede happened after police tear-gassed rioting supporters.

About 180 were injured in the crush after Arema FC lost to bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya in East Java.

The country's chief security minister said that the number of spectators exceeded the stadium's capacity by around 4,000 people.

President Joko Widodo has ordered that all matches in Indonesia's top league must be stopped until an investigation has been concluded.

Videos show fans running on to the pitch after the final whistle.

Police then fired tear gas, leading to a crowd stampede and cases of suffocation, said Nico Afinta, police chief in East Java.

"It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers, they damaged cars," he said, adding that two police officers were among the dead.

"We would like to convey that... not all of them were anarchic. Only about 3,000 who entered the pitch," he said.

Fleeing fans "went out to one point at the exit. Then there was a build-up, in the process of accumulation there was shortness of breath, lack of oxygen", he added.

Videos on social media show fans clambering over fences to escape. Separate videos appear to show lifeless bodies on the floor.

Fifa, the world's governing football body, states that no "crowd control gas" should be carried or used by stewards or police at matches.

The Indonesian football association (PSSI) said it had launched an investigation, adding that the incident had "tarnished the face of Indonesian football".

Violence at football matches is not new in Indonesia, and Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya are long-time rivals.

Persebaya Surabaya fans were banned from buying tickets for the game because of fears of clashes.

But Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD posted on Instagram that 42,000 tickets had been sold for the match at the Kanjuruhan stadium, which has a capacity of 38,000.

President Widodo called for this to be the "last soccer tragedy in the nation" after ordering that all Liga 1 games should be paused pending an investigation.

The stampede is the latest in a long line of disasters at stadiums.

In 1964, a total of 320 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured during a stampede at a Peru-Argentina Olympic qualifier in Lima.

In the UK, 97 Liverpool fans were crushed to death in 1989 at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.

BBC

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Tragic event.

What the hell is wrong with humanity!

There have been previous outbreaks of trouble at matches in Indonesia, with a strong rivalry between clubs sometimes leading to violence among supporters.

They should play the whole season without any "fans" inside stadium.

 

[MenInG]

At least 174 people have died in a stampede at an Indonesian football match, in one of the world's worst stadium disasters.

Police tear-gassed supporters who invaded the pitch.

About 180 were hurt in the crush after Arema FC lost 2-3 to rivals Persebaya Surabaya in East Java.

 

[James]

Oh no RIP

 

[MenInG]

Video of the incident

**** Viewer discretion advised ****

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/sgwbpv" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Tragic event.

What the hell is wrong with humanity!



They should play the whole season without any "fans" inside stadium.

Nothing wrong with humanity, just seems like Indonesia hasn't developed good crowd control methods for such events. We've been through this in the UK and had to bring in many measures to avoid incidents like this. I trust the authorities in Indonesia will learn from this like we did.

 

[sweep_shot]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun.

Rioting over a sport is a childish act.

 

[MenInG]

Nothing wrong with humanity, just seems like Indonesia hasn't developed good crowd control methods for such events. We've been through this in the UK and had to bring in many measures to avoid incidents like this. I trust the authorities in Indonesia will learn from this like we did.

Listening on BBC they mentioned the fact that tear gas was used which caused panic - apparently tear gas is forbidden for use in football stadiums by FIFA

 

[MenInG]

Fifa president Gianni Infantino says it is a "dark day" for football following the death of at least 125 people in a crush at a football match in Indonesia.

About 180 people were also hurt after Arema FC's loss to rivals Persebaya Surabaya in East Java on Saturday.

The crush took place after police tear-gassed fans who invaded the pitch.

"The football world is in a state of shock following the tragic incidents that have taken place in Indonesia," Infantino said.

"This is a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension."

As panic spread in Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, thousands surged towards the exits, where many suffocated.

Fifa, the world's governing football body, states that no "crowd control gas" should be carried or used by stewards or police at matches.

Infantino added: "I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives following this tragic incident.

"Together with Fifa and the global football community, all our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, those who have been injured, together with the people of the Republic of Indonesia, the Asian Football Confederation, the Indonesian Football Association, and the Indonesian Football League, at this difficult time."

The head of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, told Reuters in a statement he was "deeply shocked and saddened to hear such tragic news coming out of football-loving Indonesia".

La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have agreed that clubs will observe a minute's silence before kick-off in Sunday's games as a mark of respect.

A statement by La Liga said the silence would "offer condolences to the Indonesian people, especially the families of the deceased, as well as wishing a quick recovery to those injured".

A number of Premier League clubs have offered their condolences to the victims of the disaster.

Liverpool tweeted: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the events at Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang, Indonesia. The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club are with all those affected at this time."

In the UK, a crush developed at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield in 1989, resulting in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans attending the club's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

England captain Leah Williamson posted on Twitter: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Indonesia holds a special place in my heart."

Spain defender Sergio Ramos called the incident "heartbreaking" while ex-England forward Wayne Rooney said it was "devastating".

Ajax's club account tweeted: "We are deeply saddened by the tragedy in Malang, Indonesia. There should never be violence at a football match."

Barcelona said they were "pained by the tragic events" at Kanjuruhan Stadium, adding they "reject all acts of violence both on and off the field".

BBC

 

[daytrader]

Indonesian govt orders police to identify, punish stadium disaster ‘perpetrators’ as anger mounts

Indonesia’s government called on the country’s police on Monday to identify and punish whoever was responsible for a stadium stampede that left 125 people dead, as anger mounted over one of the deadliest disasters in the history of football.

The tragedy on Saturday night in the city of Malang also saw 323 people injured after officers fired tear gas in a packed stadium to quell a pitch invasion, triggering a stampede.

“We ask the national police to find the perpetrators who have committed crimes in the next few days,” Indonesia’s chief security minister Mahfud MD said in a broadcast statement, without specifying who he was referring to.

“We asked them to unveil who has perpetrated the crimes and that action must be taken against them and we also hope the National Police will evaluate their security procedures,” he added, announcing a task force for the investigation had been formed.

The incident unfolded when fans of home team Arema FC stormed the pitch at the Kanjuruhan stadium after their loss 3-2 to bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya.

Police responded by launching volleys of tear gas into packed terraces, prompting spectators to rush en masse to small gates where many were trampled or suffocated, according to witnesses.

Police described the incident as a riot in which two officers were killed but survivors accuse them of overreacting and causing the deaths of scores of spectators, including a five-year-old boy.

“One of our messages is for the authorities to investigate this (incident) thoroughly. And we want accountability, who is to blame?” said 25-year-old Andika, who declined to give his last name.

“We want justice for our fallen supporters,” he said.

‘Murderer!’
Outside the Kanjuruhan stadium on Sunday evening, people held a vigil beneath the roaring lion statue — the club’s symbol — to honour the victims. But fresh graffiti daubed on the walls of the stadium revealed bubbling anger towards the authorities.

“My siblings were killed. Investigate thoroughly,” read one message scrawled on the stadium’s shutters, accompanied by a black ribbon and the date of the tragedy.

“ACAB”, an acronym for “all cops are bast****”, was sprayed on another wall.

In Jakarta, hundreds of football fans gathered outside the country’s biggest stadium on Sunday chanting “murderer! murderer!”, singing songs in support of Arema FC and placing police tape on the complex’s fence.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced a probe into the incident, but rights groups said it should be independent and officers should be held accountable for using tear gas in a confined area.

“We call on authorities to conduct a swift, thorough, and independent investigation into the use of tear gas at the stadium and ensure that those who are found to have committed violations are tried in open court,” Amnesty International said in a statement.

“This loss of life cannot go unanswered.”

Mahfud said the task force would be chosen in the next 24 hours and would consist of government officials, analysts, ministry representatives, football organisation officials, academics and members of the media.

He said authorities would announce the results of the probe as soon as possible.

“It is estimated the task can be concluded in the next two or three weeks,” he said.

‘Fans died in players’ arms’
Anger against the authorities gathered pace online, with many critical posts going viral in Indonesia.

“Investigate thoroughly. Firing tear gas in a closed space full of humans is a serious violation,” read one tweet that was liked 11,000 times.

An online petition titled “The police must stop using tear gas” gathered nearly 6,000 signatures by Monday morning.

The fallout came as more information emerged about the stampede, with Arema FC’s Chilean football coach saying “fans died in the arms of players”.

“The boys passed by with victims in their arms,” Javier Roca told Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser. “I think the police overstepped their mark.”

Fan violence is an enduring problem in Indonesia.

Witnesses of Saturday’s violence say fans of the home team Arema invaded the pitch after their loss to Persebaya Surabaya.

Persebaya Surabaya supporters had not been allowed to buy tickets to the game, due to the fear of violence.

After the deadly stampede, Arema fans threw rocks at officers and torched vehicles including a police truck on the streets of Malang, according to the police.

FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino called the tragedy a “dark day” for football but stopped short of calling for any action by authorities.

The world football governing body’s safety guidelines prohibit the carrying of crowd control gas by police or stewards at pitchside.

World football united to mourn the tragedy, with Spanish clubs holding a minute’s silence and top teams across Europe sending their condolences online.

DAWN

 

[MenInG]

Football fans "died in the arms" of players during a crush at Indonesia's Kanjuruhan stadium, the home team coach has said, as the number of children killed in the tragedy rose to 32.

Javier Roca said the crush at the match in Java, in which 125 people lost their lives, left him "mentally shattered".

Authorities say the youngest victim of Saturday's disaster was just three.

Some 18 officers are being investigated after police fired tear gas at fans who invaded the pitch when the match ended.

More than 320 other people were injured as supporters were trampled on and suffocated in crushes as they fled the gas. Indonesia's deputy minister of children and women affairs said the children were aged between 3 and 17.

One eyewitness told the BBC that police had fired numerous gas rounds "continuously and fast" after the situation with fans became "tense". Home team Arema FC supporters ran onto the pitch when the match ended in a 3-2 defeat to their rivals Persebaya Surabaya.

Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo told reporters that the officers under investigation "were responsible for holding" the weapons and said they were being "questioned" by an internal affairs team.

He added that several other officers, including the field security team, and some officials from the Indonesian football league, were also under investigation.

Indonesia's human rights commission said it will conduct its own inquiry into the disaster, and President Joko Widodo has ordered that all matches in Indonesia's top league must be stopped until the official probe has been carried out.

Amnesty International said the police response amounted to "use of excessive force by the state" to control an unarmed crowd, and protesters in the capital Jakarta on Sunday night carried placards that read "stop police brutality".

Indonesia's police force has a record of brutality - and has been previously criticised for its frequent use of tear gas in tightly-packed stadiums.

Meanwhile, Mr Roca, the Arema FC coach, told the Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser that he thought "the police overstepped their mark" in efforts to control the crowd.

The announcement of the investigation comes after world football's governing body Fifa called the disaster "a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension".

Fifa's own regulations say no "crowd control gas" should be carried or used by stewards or police at matches and the body has requested a report on the incident from the Indonesian football federation.

Security Minister Mahfud MD wrote on Instagram that the stadium had been filled beyond capacity, with over 42,000 tickets being sold for the game in the 38,000 capacity stadium.

Videos from the stadium show fans running on to the pitch after the final whistle, and police firing tear gas in response.

"It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers, they damaged cars," said Nico Afinta, police chief in East Java, adding that two police officers were among the dead.

"We would like to convey that... not all of them were anarchic. Only about 3,000 who entered the pitch," he said.

Fleeing fans "went out to one point at the exit. Then there was a build-up, in the process of accumulation there was shortness of breath, lack of oxygen", the officer added.

Videos on social media show fans clambering over fences to escape. Separate videos appeared to show lifeless bodies on the floor.

Ester Andayanengtyas told the BBC her 17-year-old daughter Debora suffered serious injuries, including a broken neck and swelling on the brain during the panic.

"I asked her not to watch the game that day. She didn't return home, in the morning her friends were looking for her," Ms Andayanengtyas said. "We looked for her in the ER, but she wasn't there. The hospital told us to look at the mortuary. The confusion happened because my daughter didn't carry an ID."

Muhamad Dipo Maulana, 21, who was at the match, told BBC Indonesian that after the game had ended a few Arema fans went on the pitch to remonstrate with the home team players but were immediately intercepted by police and "beaten".

More spectators then took to the pitch in protest, the supporter said.

"Police with dogs, shields, and soldiers came forward," Mr Dipo told the BBC.

He said he had heard more than 20 tear gas shots towards spectators at the stadium.

The disaster is one of the world's deadliest in a sports stadium in recent decades.

In 1985, 39 people died and 600 were hurt at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, Belgium, when fans were crushed against a wall that then collapsed during the European Cup final between Liverpool (England) and Juventus (Italy).

In the UK, a crush developed at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield in 1989, resulting in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans attending the club's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Six people, including police officers and organisers, are facing criminal charges over a football stadium crush that killed at least 131 people, Indonesia's police chief said.

They will be charged with criminal negligence causing death, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.

The disaster happened last week when police fired tear gas at fans who invaded the pitch after a defeat.

Hundreds tired to flee through the exits, which caused a deadly stampede.

The incident has led to public anger, with much of it directed at the police and their use of tear gas. The local police chief in Malang, where the incident took place, was fired and nine others officers were suspended.

Those now facing charges include three police officers who had tear gassed fans, the head of the home club Arema FC's organising committee and one of the club's security officers.



BBC

 

[MenInG]

Indonesia has announced plans to demolish the stadium where at least 131 football fans died and hundreds were injured in a stampede this month.

President Joko Widodo said the Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang would be rebuilt according to safety standards set by the sport's governing body Fifa.

He said the country must "thoroughly transform" how it managed the sport.

Mr Widodo made the announcement after meeting Fifa president Gianni Infantino earlier on Tuesday.

Indonesia is set to host the 2023 under-20 World Cup, and the pair agreed to form a joint task force ahead of the event.

Speaking alongside Mr Widodo, the Fifa chief said it was imperative that fans attending the tournament were provided with a safe environment.

"This is a football country, a country where football is a passion for over 100 million people," he said. "We owe it to them that when they see a match they are safe and secure."

On 1 October, fans were caught in a deadly crush as they attempted to leave the Kanjuruhan stadium after the defeat of the home side Arema FC by Persebaya Surabaya.

Six people, including police officers and organisers, are facing criminal charges over the crush, which is one of the world's worst stadium disasters.

They will be charged with criminal negligence causing death, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.

An investigation published last week ruled that the tragic incident had been sparked by police firing tear gas into the stands - a crowd control measure banned by Fifa.

The report also found several other contributing factors, including the stadium being filled beyond capacity and locked exit doors, as well as a push by league officials to hold the game at night to secure higher television ratings.

Investigators also called on the Indonesian Football Association's board to step down, urging them to "resign as a form of responsibility".

But Mr Infantino has already assured organisers that Indonesia will not have the 2023 under-20 event stripped from it.

Some 24 countries will compete in venues across six Indonesian cities next summer. The Kanjuruhan stadium was not due to host any games during the competition.

BBC

 

[ex-q-zit]

Indonesian Families Sue Over Stadium Stampede, President Also A Defendant

Seven Indonesian families whose relatives died or were injured in one of the worst stadium disasters in football history are suing officials they consider responsible, their lawyer said Friday.

The stampede in the Javan city of Malang in October left 135 people dead, including more than 40 children.

It has been primarily blamed on an excessive use of tear gas by police, according to a preliminary investigation.

The civil lawsuit targets eight parties, including Indonesia's football association, the national police, league organiser PT Liga Indonesia Baru, and the owners of Malang football club Arema FC.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is also listed as a co-defendant.

Imam Hidayat, a lawyer representing the families, said they were demanding accountability and compensation.

"We have to consider the livelihood of the families of those who died or were heavily injured," Hidayat told AFP.

"They, in our view, need compensation, although lives cannot be exchanged with money."

The families are seeking around 62 billion rupiah ($3.9 million) in damages, he said.

The suit was filed to a court in Malang on Wednesday, Hidayat added. A court spokesman confirmed to AFP it had been received.

The plaintiffs are also asking the government to cancel a plan to demolish the Kanjuruhan stadium, arguing it should be made a museum as a reminder of the tragedy.

Widodo has pledged to rebuild the structure according to FIFA standards.

The stampede took place after police fired tear gas into packed stands when supporters invaded the pitch at the end of a league match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya.

The government suspended competitive football games after the incident but league matches resumed early this month without fans in the stands.

Hidayat, part of an advocacy team for those affected by the tragedy, has also sent a letter to Widodo demanding the creation of an investigative team independent from police to ensure a transparent and objective probe.

After a police-led investigation, six people including three police officers were charged with negligence causing death.

But on Wednesday police released one suspect -- a former director of PT Liga Indonesia Baru -- after he was detained for the maximum period without charge.

Local media quoted a police official as saying he remained a suspect however.

A task force investigating the stampede earlier called on the football association chief and all its executive committee members to resign, but they remain in their positions, as do senior police.

NDTV