Tear gas ignites a crowd in Indonesia, killing 125 people

At least 125 people were killed, the majority of whom were crushed underfoot or smothered, after police fired tear gas into the crowd following an Indonesia soccer match in an effort to quell the unrest.

The police’s use of crowd-control techniques during Saturday night’s match between Persebaya Surabaya and the East Java host Arema FC quickly came to light. Before shooting them with tear gas canisters, witnesses said they saw police striking individuals with rods and shields.

It was one of the bloodiest accidents at a sporting event ever. FIFA President Sepp Blatter called the killings “a horrible day for everyone involved in football and a grief beyond understanding.” A review of security procedures was required by President Joko Widodo. Despite not having any control over domestic matches, FIFA has warned against using tear gas at soccer stadiums.

Due to the frequent fights between opposing Indonesia soccer fans, Persebaya supporters were prohibited from entering Arema’s stadium. Violence nevertheless erupted after the home team lost 3-2, when some of the 42,000 Arema supporters, or “Aremania,” hurled bottles and other items at the soccer players and referees.

Witnesses claim that Arema fans swarmed to the pitch at Kanjuruhan Stadium and allegedly demanded an explanation from the club’s management as to why this home game against Persebaya ended suffered a defeat following 23 years of triumphs.

At least five police cars were flipped over and set on fire outside the stadium. Tear gas was fired by riot police in response, including toward the stadium’s stands, which alarmed the audience.

When police used tear gas, the stadium transformed into a smoke-filled battlefield, claimed Rizky, who goes by one name. He and his cousin arrived to the game.

“Everything turned black and felt hot and stinging in my eyes, and I couldn’t see well because my head was spinning. I collapsed,” he claimed. When he awakened, he was already at the emergency room. He insisted that his cousin’s demise was the result of a head injury.

The football game we had planned to watch for fun turned out to be disastrous,

Ahmad Fatoni claimed

Ahmad Fatoni, a different spectator, claimed that the supporters retaliated when police began striking them with sticks and shields.

Officers shot tear gas straight at audience members, causing us to flee, the man claimed. Many victims were crushed as a result of tear gas since it caused some victims to lose consciousness and have vision problems.

He said that he scaled the stands’ roof and descended only when everything had subsided.

A number of individuals suffocated to death and were crushed underfoot as hundreds of others ran for the door to escape the tear gas. According to some estimates, 34 people died as a consequence of the unrest in the stadium, including two police officers and children.

Rian Dwi Cahyono said to Sky News from the hospital where he was receiving care for an arm injury that “some were trampled, some fell down, and some got struck.” When asked what set off the panic, he said, “Tear gas.

Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the chief of the National Police, stated that once it was determined that some of the fatalities were registered, the death toll was decreased from 174 to 125. more than once. Over 100 people were receiving intensive care at eight hospitals, with 11 of them in critical condition.

Nico Afinta, the chief of police for East Java, justified the deployment of tear gas.

At a press conference early on Sunday, he said, “We have already done a preventative measure before eventually launching the tear gas as (fans) began to attack the police, acting anarchically, and burning vehicles.”