Archyde.com reported on the 2nd, citing local police, that riots broke out during a professional football match in Malang, Indonesia, killing 125 spectators and two police officers and wounding 180 others.
Soccer fans enter the stadium at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. AP Yonhap News
On the 1st, Arema FC lost 3-2 in the night game of Persevaya Surabaya at their home stadium, Kanjuruhan. Numerous fans began to riot, and the authorities fired tear gas to suppress it. East Java Police Chief Nico Apinta told reporters that crowds fell, crushed, and killed in the process.
The association suspended the schedule of the first division of Indonesia for a week and launched an investigation. “We express our deepest regret and condolences to the victims of this incident,” said Ahmad Hadian Rukita, president of the Professional Football Association. We hope that this incident will be a valuable lesson.” Indonesia’s sports minister said it would re-examine the safety situation at the football stadium.
Football riots in Indonesia have long been a problem. Police authorities regularly dispatched riot police to the arena.
Reporter Hyun-woo Kim [email protected]
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