Authorities in Indonesia report that at least 129 people were killed in a stampede at a football game after police utilized tear gas to quell angry fans.
The stampede occurred after the East Java team, Arema FC, lost to their adversaries, Persebaya Surabaya, injuring almost 180 people, BBC reported.
As videos uploaded on the internet show, fans run onto the pitch following the last whistle.
East Java police commander Nico Afinta told reporters that after Saturday night's match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya, fans from the losing club flooded the ground, and police shot tear gas, causing a stampede and incidents of "lack of oxygen" among the crowd. He also mentioned that two police officers had lost their lives.
Unruly Fans Brawl
Afinta claimed 34 people died at the stadium, while another 14 died later in local hospitals. After Arema FC lost 3-2 against Persebaya Surabaya, the fans brawled.
The police chief said that the "anarchy" happened, and the fans started to attack the police and vandalize automobiles in the area. He added that the crowd rushed towards the exit, which resulted in the stampede.
Video footage of the Indonesia stampede showed what looked like tear gas smoke and numerous individuals being taken into a building. It was still unknown how serious their wounds were. Many were reportedly sent to local hospitals.
Reuters said that video footage shown on local news stations also featured graphic pictures of corpse bags.
A representative told the media outlet of Indonesia's human rights commission that the organization plans to look into the deployment of tear gas and other security measures on the ground.
In the past, matches in Indonesia have descended into chaos due to intense animosity between opposing fans of opposing clubs.
As a result of the tragic incident, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has canceled all games scheduled for next week and barred Arema FC from hosting games for the remainder of the current campaign.
Worst Football Incident in Indonesia
PSSI chairman Mochamad Iriawan condemned Arema supporters' behavior at Kanjuruhan Stadium in a statement released on Sunday, according to CNA.
He continued, saying that the act had "tarnished the face of Indonesian football" and that they were cooperating with authorities in their inquiry. He expressed regret and apologized to the victim's loved ones and everyone involved.
"For that reason, PSSI promptly assembled an inquiry team and jetted over to Malang," he continued.
The police have become increasingly under fire for their response to the Indonesia stampede, as per a CNN report. On Sunday, watchdog organization Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) issued a statement demanding answers and the "removal" of Malang Police Chief Ferli Hidayat.
IPW stated the police chief should leave his post out of humiliation for "the worst event" in the history of Indonesian soccer.
In May and June of 2023, Indonesia will host the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. The country is also among three candidates to host the next year's Asian Cup after China backed out of the hosting role.
