At least 170 people were killed and many injured in a soccer game in Malang, Indonesia. The incident happened after a soccer game in the province of East Java between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya ended on Saturday night.
According to the police report, the losing team’s supporters stormed onto the pitch to express their frustration. Police then fired tear gas to control the situation, prompting a stampede at the stadium.
Arema FC fans took to the pitch after their team lost 3-2 to Persebaya Surabaya, their first loss to their rivals in more than two decades.
According to the police, 34 people died in the stadium and others died in a hospital. In addition, many people were crushed and suffocated as they ran to the exit gates.
A video of the stampede on Twitter showed huge amounts of tear gas and people climbing over fences.
NEW – Over 100 people have been killed in riots that broke out at a soccer match in Indonesia tonight.pic.twitter.com/hGZEwQyHmL
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 1, 2022
According to a local TV station, President Joko Widodo said he had asked the national police chief to thoroughly investigate what happened.
“I regret that this tragedy happened,” Widodo said. “And I hope that’s it the country’s latest football tragedy.”
The Indonesian government has apologized for the incident and promised to investigate the circumstances of the stampede, the report said.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has suspended all football matches for a week.
PSSI has banned the Arema FC team from hosting home games for the remainder of the season and said it would send an investigative team to Malang to determine the cause of the crush.
