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174 football fans killed in mass riot involving tear gas after pitch invasion at end of match

174 football fans have been killed in mass riot involving tear gas after a pitch invasion at the end of a match in Indonesia.

The number of deaths is unfortunately on the rise following Arema FC’s league clash against Persebaya Surabaya on Saturday night.

Multiple local media outlets have reported that much of those died at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang while many other supporters were rushed to the local Kanjuruhan and Wava Husada hospitals.

East Java Police Chief Nico Afinta said that around 180 people are injured, while two police officers are believed to have died in the incident.

Akhmad Hadian Lukita, the president of PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB), said: “We are concerned and deeply regret this incident. We share our condolences and hopefully, this will be a valuable lesson for all of us.”

Persebaya’s official Twitter account posted: “Persebaya’s extended family deeply mourns the loss of life after the Arema FC vs Persebaya match. No single life is worth football. We pray for the victims and may the families left behind be given strength.”

All remaining BRI Liga 1 matches which had been scheduled for this week have been suspended following the incident, while the Indonesian FA have confirmed Arema will not host any more games for the rest of the season.

Persebaya Surabaya won the match โ€“ an East Jarva derby โ€“ 3-2 which led to thousands of fans of Arema FC to enter the pitch from the stands.

Multiple local police and members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces moved quick to enforce security, with players of Persebaya escorted off the field of play and to safety.

Local media report that fights then broke out between the security forces and the fans on the pitch, with objects thrown before security officers then began using tear gas.

It’s claimed that this was used both on fans on the pitch and those in the stands, resulting in mass panic among fans, as they attempted to escape the gas and in doing so, many fell to the ground and were inadvertently trampled on by others.

Many supporters experienced shortness of breath after inhaling the gas, while many others lost consciousness on the pitch.

A report in local media outlet Kompas states tear gas didn’t clear from the pitch area and lower stands after it had been used while stating that players from Arema โ€“ who were still on the pitch โ€“ carried unconscious fans off the pitch.

General chair Mochamad Iriawan has said: “PSSI regrets the actions of Aremania supporters at the Kanjuruhan Stadium. We are sorry and apologise to the families of the victims and all parties for the incident. For that PSSI immediately formed an investigation team and immediately left for Malang.”

Videos from inside the ground show fans running on to the pitch after the final whistle marked the home team’s 2-3 defeat, and police firing tear gas in response.

“It had gotten anarchic. They started attacking officers, they damaged cars,” said Nico Afinta, police chief in East Java, adding that two police officers were among the dead.

“We would like to convey that… not all of them were anarchic. Only about 3,000 who entered the pitch,” he said.

Fleeing fans “went out to one point at the exit. Then there was a build-up, in the process of accumulation there was shortness of breath, lack of oxygen”, the officer added.

The stampede is one of the worst of a tragically long line of stadium disasters.

In 1964, a total of 320 people lost their lives and more than 1,000 injured during a stampede at a Peru-Argentina Olympic qualifier in Lima.

In 1985, 39 people died and 600 were hurt at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, Belgium, when fans were crushed against a wall that then collapsed during the European Cup final between Liverpool (England) and Juventus (Italy).

In the UK, a crush at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, resulted in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans attending the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

Justinus Lhaksana, a former coach for Indonesia’s national futsal team, told Sky News: “This is the not first time we have had deadly casualties. But usually it’s one or two people who die after a match.

“I’m very sad the right solution was not found way before this happened.”

He claims fans in Indonesia enter the pitch “almost every weekend”, and such disturbances have been going on for years.

“This is not a clash between two rivalries – this is just a clash between disappointed fans and police.”

This is what was said on social media with reports 174 football fans were killed in a mass riot involving tear gas after a pitch invasion occurred at the end of the match…

@marcusbailey007: Thoughts go out to the people of Indonesia. Such a tragedy ๐Ÿ’•

@CableGuyGav: RIP to all the football fans that have died in Indonesia. Shocking scenes. #Liga1 #Indonesia

@Sue14Roberts: My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have lost their lives, such awful news, heartbreaking for them all xx

@rydingbicycles: I went to an Arema game about four years ago against Persijia Jakarta. Never experienced an atmosphere like it. They didn’t stop for the entire game and Jakarta had a hype man in a white suit directing their fans. Leaving the stadium was terrifying though. So many people.

@Stefg2019: Canโ€™t believe what Iโ€™m reading about what happened in Indonesia. Absolutely devastating that this can happen at a football game.

@cardifforiginal: Terrible whatโ€™s happened at a football game in Indonesia. Very tragic and should never happen.

@therealphansen: Horrible scenes from #Indonesia overnight, thoughts go out to those who have lost loved ones in a senseless and avoidable #TRAGEDY. Brings back memories of #Hillsborough ๐Ÿ˜ฅ๐Ÿ’”

@Mackie777: Terrible scenes in Indonesia. No one should go to a football match and not make it home.

@JWLFC7: God bless them

@nikhilvohra: Waking up to really sad news from Indonesia where over 127 football fans have been killed in a riot because the home team lost the derby! A stark reminder that at the end of the day football is just a game and should be treated like a game!!

@JAMES77458423: Nobody should ever go to a football ground and have their lives in danger. YNWA

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