a football match turns tragic, at least 125 dead

On the evening of Sunday October 2, in Malang (Indonesia), the clash between two teams in the football championship turned into a confrontation. Some players were singled out by the losing team’s thousands of supporters. The situation quickly deteriorated. Police vehicles were targeted, and security forces responded with batons. Some supporters were violently kicked, and tear gas was thrown into the stands. The beginning of a murderous crowd movement. “After the tear gas was fired, they all ran in the same direction, to exit through gates number 10 and 12, causing a massive traffic jam. Several of them lost their lives due to lack of oxygen”reports Nico Afnita, police chief of East Java (Indonesia).

Some supporters were asphyxiated. Others, seriously injured by the movement of the crowd, were evacuated in emergency. At least 125 people, including two police officers, lost their lives. “Some of us were stepped on. Others fell, others were hit”, confides an injured person. Near the hospital, families are looking for their loved ones. Many spectators are still missing. Sunday, October 2, Indonesians gathered in the evening in Jakarta (Indonesia) to watch in tribute to the victims of one of the worst disasters in the history of football.