A stampede and riot erupted at a soccer match between Indonesian soccer players on Saturday resulting in the deaths of at least 125 people.
Police reportedly fired tear gas into crowds to quell and disperse chaotic supporters of a losing soccer team at a stadium in Malang, East Java, on Saturday night, according to Reuters. More than 300 people were injured and some 125 killed when violence broke out following the final whistle at the match, the outlet continued.
According to the New York Post, the majority of the victims were killed in the chaos when they were being trampled by others. Social media videos show fans of both teams fighting one another on the pitch. Others suggest that they were trying to flee from clashes with law enforcers wearing riot gear.
#Breaking: Just in – At least 108 people confirmed dead after a football match between Arema and Persebaya in #Indonesia, after they were cornered by riot police after a clash, and got tear gassed, with no other place to run or hide and dying of oxygen shortages duo to the gas. pic.twitter.com/S9mEPJVpUg
— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) October 1, 2022
One witness told the New York Post that officers fired tear gas directly at spectators standing in the stands. This forced them to run towards the exit. “Many victims were injured by the tear gas, including those who suffered from shortness of breath or difficulty seeing.” “They were also trampled.”
Video footage taken after the chaos and stampede shows a hospital that was overwhelmed by victims. Some were lying motionless on the ground while medics tried to give CPR and other lifesaving measures.
Following the tragedy, Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, issued a statement. He wrote that the football world was in shock after the tragic events in Indonesia following the match between Arema FC & Persebaya Surabaya. “This is a terrible day for football, and it’s a tragedy that cannot be comprehended. My deepest sympathies go out to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.
