The Indonesia league has been suspended after over 147 football fans have been killed by a stampede. Yesterday a match between Arema and Persebaya clubs in the Indonesian national championship was held at Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java province. After 2 consecutive defeats at home, Arema continued to be in bad shape when losing to Persebaya in the end 2-3.
Frustrated with the home team’s defeat, the fans flooded the field, beating: breaking and creating a chaotic scene. The police force was so thin that it was impossible to control the crowd.
Police tried to disperse the crowd using tear gas, but this inadvertently created a tragedy. Tear gas was sprayed on the whole stands, causing many people to fear, run away, and trample each other to find their way out of the stadium.
According to an official announcement from the East Java Provincial Police, 34 people died in the yard d, and nearly 100 people stopped breathing when taken to the hospital. A total of 127 people did not survive.
The Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) has launched an urgent investigation into the cause of this incident.
My condolences to the families of the victims.
