At least 127 people lost their lives and another 180 were injured in the riots that occurred after a football match in Malang, in the Indonesian province of East Java. The police said that most of the victims died in the crowd at the Kanjuruhan stadium after the match lost by the home team, Arema, against Persebaya Surabaya.
At the end of the match, the Arema fans invaded the pitch, attacking some of the players. The police used tear gas, even towards the bleachers. At that point the crowd panicked and huddled in an attempt to escape. Dozens and dozens of people died of suffocation or trampling.
“127 people lost their lives, including two officers. Thirty-four victims died inside the stadium, the others in hospital”, local police chief Nico Afinta said in a statement.
The Indonesian Football Association has suspended the league for a week and has decided that Arema will not host any more matches this season.