Multiple football fans are reportedly deceased after a massive riot broke out at an Indonesian football match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya on Saturday.
There was a massive pitch invasion at the end of the match that caused multiple people to be rushed to the local Kanjuruhan Hospital and Wava Husada Hospital, according to Mirror.
Via the report:
“Multiple local media outlets have reported dozens of fans died on the pitch at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, although no official number of deaths has yet been confirmed.
All remaining BRI Liga 1 fixtures scheduled for this week have been suspended following the incident, while the Indonesian FA have confirmed Arema will not host any more games for the rest of the season.”
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Akhmad Hadian Lukita, the president of PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB), has said : “We are concerned and deeply regret this incident. We share our condolences and hopefully this will be a valuable lesson for all of us.”
Persebaya’s official Twitter account posted on Saturday evening: “Persebaya’s extended family deeply mourns the loss of life after the Arema FC vs Persebaya match. No single life is worth football. We pray for the victims and may the families left behind be given strength.”
Persebaya Surabaya won the match 3-2 which prompted thousands of fans of Arema FC to enter the field of play from the stands.
“Local media report that skirmishes then broke out between the security forces and the fans on the pitch, with objects being thrown before security officers then began using tear gas. It is reported by Suryamalang that this was used both on fans on the pitch and those in the stands.
This is said to have resulted in mass panic among fans, as they attempted to escape the gas and in doing so, many fell to the ground and were inadvertently trampled on by others.
It is said that many supporters experienced shortness of breath after inhaling the gas, while many others lost consciousness on the pitch. A report in local media outlet Kompas claims that the tear gas did not clear from the pitch area and lower stands after it had been used, while stating that players from Arema – who were still on the pitch – carried unconscious fans off the pitch.”
Prayers for everybody involved.
