Overnight clashes between supporters of two Indonesian football teams in East Java province left at least 127 people dead including 2 police officers and another 180 injured, mostly trampled to death after a stampede following crowd trouble at the match, police said.
After the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya had ended, supporters of Arema FC which had lost the match – the first loss in more than two decades to its bitter rival – had invaded the pitch.
Police, who characterized the unrest as "riots," tried to persuade fans to return to the stands and fired teas gas into the stands after two officers were killed, triggering a stampede and cases of suffocation, East Java police chief Nico Afinta told reporters.
Video footage from local news channels showed people rushing onto the pitch in the stadium in Malang and images of body bags.
Hundreds of people ran to an exit gate in an effort to avoid the tear gas. Some suffocated in the chaos and others were trampled, killing 34 almost instantly.
More than 300 were rushed to nearby hospitals to treat injuries but many died on the way and during a treatment, Afinta said.
"In the incident, 127 people died, two of whom are police officers. 34 people died inside the stadium and the rest died in hospital," Afinta said in a statement.
"They went out to one point at the exit. Then there was a buildup, in the process of accumulation there was shortness of breath, lack of oxygen," he said.
The Indonesian government apologized for the incident and promised to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stampede.
"We're sorry for this incident... this is a regrettable incident that 'injures' our football at a time when supporters can watch football matches from the stadium," Indonesian Sports and Youth Minister Zainudin Amali told broadcaster Kompas.
"We will thoroughly evaluate the organisation of the match and the attendance of supporters. Will we return to banning supporters from attending the matches? That is what we will discuss."
The Indonesian top league BRI Liga 1 has suspended games for a week following the match that Persebaya won 3-2 and an investigation had been launched, the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) said.
There have been previous outbreaks of trouble at matches in Indonesia, with a strong rivalry between clubs sometimes leading to violence among supporters.
