127 killed in stampede after football match in Indonesia

 

Unruly spectators attacking a police car after a football match in East Java last night. (AP pic)

PETALING JAYA: A total of 127 people died and 180 were injured following a stampede after a football match in Malang,East Java, Indonesia, last night.

According to a report in Jakarta Post, the incident happened after the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya ended.

East Java police chief Nico Afinta told reporters that supporters from the losing team invaded the pitch, with police being forced to fire tear gas, triggering a stampede and cases of suffocation.

Supporters invade the field after their team lost in a football match in East Java. (AP pic)

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

Two of the dead were police officers. Local news outlets said thousands of fans struggled to breathe and several eventually fainted.

News reports said up to 3,000 spectators took to the field after the match, out of a crowd of 40,000. At least 13 vehicles were damaged, including 10 police cars.

The Indonesian top league BRI Liga 1 has suspended games for a week following the match that Persebaya won 3-2 and an investigation has begun.

Many collapsed after police fired tear gas to disperse the spectators. (AP pic)

Soccer violence has long been a problem for Indonesia, with often deadly rivalries between major teams. - FMT