Dozens of football fans are reported to have died in Indonesia after a riot broke out following Arema FC's league clash against Persebaya Surabaya.
Multiple local media outlets have reported dozens of fans died on the pitch at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang after a pitch invasion at the end of the match, although no official number of deaths has yet been confirmed. Many supporters were rushed to the local Kanjuruhan Hospital and Wava Husada Hospital.
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.”
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.
Persebaya Surabaya won the match – an East Jarva derby – 3-2 which prompted thousands of fans of Arema FC to enter the field of play from the stands. This led to multiple local police and members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces moving to enforce security, with players of Persebaya escorted off the field of play and to safety.
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.
General chair Mochamad Iriawan has said (via Daily Star ): "PSSI regrets the actions of Aremania supporters at the Kanjuruhan Stadium. We are sorry and apologise to the families of the victims and all parties for the incident. For that PSSI immediately formed an investigation team and immediately left for Malang."
