At least 129 people were killed at an Indonesia football stampede when thousands of fans invaded the pitch and police fired tear gas.
The tragedy that took place Saturday, October 1 in the eastern city of Malang also injured 180 people making it one of the world’s deadliest sporting stadium disasters this year.
Authorities stated Arema FC fans stormed the Kanjuruhan stadium late Saturday after their team lost 3-2 to visiting and bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
After two officers were killed, police, who described the unrest as “riots,” said they tried to persuade fans to return to the stands.
Penembakan gas air mata salah satu penyebab puluhan jiwa tewas di stadion kanjuruhan. STOP KOMPETISI ATAS DASAR KEMANUSIAAN! Cc @jokowi @Kiyai_MarufAmin pic.twitter.com/O5kgtSbgK7
— Instagram @akmalmarhali20 (@akmalmarhali) October 1, 2022
According to police, many of the victims were trampled or choked to death.
East Java police chief Nico Afinta initially stated that 127 people had died, but this figure was later revised to 129.
According to a hospital director, one of the victims was five years old.
During the stampede, images from inside the stadium showed poluce firing massive amounts of tear gas and people clambering over fences.
Throughout the chaos, people were carrying injured spectators.
Video footage circulating on social media showed people yelling obscenities at police officers wielding batons and riot shields.
