Previous articleIndonesia police fired after stadium stampede
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 4 (Xinhua) — Indonesian officials said on the 3rd that 10 police officers, including the police chief of Malang City, were relieved of their duties after a clash and stampede at a football match in Malang City, East Java Province. More than a dozen police officers who used tear gas on fans are under investigation.
On the evening of the 1st of this month, at the end of a football match in Malang City, fans of the losing home team were dissatisfied with the result of the match, and a large number of people jumped over the railings to enter the arena, causing chaos on the scene. Riot police fired tear gas in an attempt to stop and disperse the fans, who fled in a panic, causing a stampede. The incident resulted in the death of more than 120 people, including two policemen, mostly due to stampede or suffocation, and more than 320 people were injured, some seriously.
This is the burned vehicle taken outside the stadium where the incident occurred in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, on October 2.Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Bayou Novanta)
Indonesian National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetio said the Malang city police chief and nine members of the police’s elite mobile team have been relieved of their duties and may be fired after police follow-up investigations. Another 18 police officers are under investigation for using tear gas on fans.
He said police were already questioning witnesses and reviewing video from 32 cameras inside and outside the stadium.
The two teams in the game on the 1st played against each other many times, but the home team suffered their first home defeat in more than 20 years. Fans of the home team were strongly dissatisfied. Some people broke into the stadium and some people threw bottled water and other objects at players and referees. At least five police cars were overturned and set on fire outside the stadium.
On October 1, people transfer the injured in the stadium where the incident occurred in Malang, East Java, Indonesia.Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Bram Yoda)
According to the Associated Press, there were about 42,000 fans watching the game that night. In order to prevent possible conflicts, the organizers will only allow fans of the home team to enter the stadium to watch the game.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has ordered the suspension of domestic football leagues until safety assessments are complete and stadium security is enhanced.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mohammad Mahfoud said he would chair an investigation into alleged violations in the tragedy and make recommendations to the president to improve security related to football matches. The investigation is expected to conclude within three weeks. (Chen Lixi)