- A pitched battle between fans of two soccer teams and the police in an Indonesian stadium left 127 dead and almost 200 injured.
The violence arose after the local Arema team lost to visiting Persbaya Surabaya in the match that took place in Malang Regency, East Java.
According to Malang regency health chief Wiyanto Wijoyo, more than 120 people were killed, and officials are still counting the victims, including two officers.
🇮🇩 | URGENT: At least 127 dead and nearly 200 injured in clashes in Indonesia in what is considered the worst tragedy in a football stadium in history. pic.twitter.com/MYllmOnmlq— Alert News 24 (@AlertaNews24) October 2, 2022
State saturation, suffocation, chaos and crushing were some of the factors that contributed to human losses.
The fight reportedly started when thousands of Arema fans ran onto the field after their team lost. The Persebaya players immediately left the field, but several Arema players who were still on the field were also attacked.
Many of the casualties occurred after police fired tear gas into crowded stands, sending fans into a panic at Kanjuruhan Stadium.
The Indonesian league has been suspended for a week as a result of the deadly incident. League officials have claimed the violence caused several deaths, but the number of victims who lost their lives could not be determined.
“We are concerned and deeply regret this incident,” said Akhmad Hadian Lukita, president director of PT Liga Indonesia Baru. “We share our condolences and hope that this will be a valuable lesson for all of us.”
The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) will launch an investigation into what happened after the match. Neither the FA nor the league officially confirmed the number of casualties.
It has become one of the worst sports tragedies in history