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The Indonesian government demanded Monday that the perpetrators of a stadium stampede that killed 125 people be identified and punished, as outrage grew over one of football’s greatest calamities.
On Saturday night in Malang, 323 people were hurt as cops shot tear gas into a full stadium to quell a pitch invasion, causing a stampede. “We urged them to reveal who committed the offenses and that action be taken against them, and we also hope the National Police would assess their security protocols,” he added, announcing the formation of a task group for the probe.
The incident occurred after Arema FC fans breached the pitch at the Kanjuruhan stadium following their 3-2 loss to bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
According to witnesses, police replied by releasing volleys of tear gas onto crowded terraces, leading spectators to rush en masse through narrow gates, where many were trampled or smothered.
The incident was characterized by police as a riot in which two officers were murdered, while survivors accuse them of overreacting and killing scores of onlookers, including a five-year-old youngster.
He stated, “We want justice for our fallen supporters.”
Murderer!’
On Sunday evening, thousands gathered outside the Kanjuruhan stadium to pay their respects beneath the roaring lion monument, the club’s symbol.
However, new graffiti on the stadium’s walls revealed simmering rage against the authorities.
On Sunday, hundreds of football fans gathered outside the country’s largest stadium in Jakarta, yelling “murderer! murderer!” and singing songs in support of Arema FC, as police tape was placed around the complex’s fence.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced an investigation into the event, but rights activists said it should be impartial and officers held accountable for unleashing tear gas in a tight area.
