Anger at police mounted in Indonesia on Monday after at least 125 people were killed in one of the deadliest disasters in football history, when officers fired tear gas at a crowded stadium, triggering a stampede.
323 people were also injured in the tragedy on Saturday evening in the city of Malang.
The incident happened as fans of home team Arema FC stormed the pitch at Kanjuruhan Stadium after their 3-2 loss to bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya.
Police responded by firing volleys of tear gas at crowded stands, prompting spectators to rush en masse to small gates, where many were trampled on or suffocated, witnesses said.
Police described the incident as a riot in which two officers were killed, but survivors accuse them of overreacting and causing the deaths of numerous bystanders, including a five-year-old boy.
“One of our messages is that the authorities are thoroughly investigating this (incident). And we want to be accountable, who is to blame?” said 25-year-old Andika, who declined to give his last name.
“We want justice for our fallen followers,” he said.
– ‘Murderer!’ –
Outside Kanjuruhan Stadium, people held a vigil under the roaring lion statue – the club’s symbol – on Sunday night to honor the victims.
But graffiti freshly scrawled on the walls of the stadium betrayed seething anger at the authorities.
“My siblings were killed. Investigate thoroughly,” read a message scrawled on the stadium’s shutters, accompanied by a black ribbon and the date of the tragedy.
“ACAB,” an acronym for “all cops are bastards,” was spray-painted on another wall.
In Jakarta, hundreds of football fans gathered in front of the country’s largest stadium in Jakarta late Sunday, chanting “Killers! Murderers!” sang songs in support of Arema FC and pasted police tape on the fence of the complex.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced an investigation into the incident, but human rights groups said it should be independent and officials should be held accountable for the use of tear gas in a limited area.
“We call on the authorities to conduct a swift, thorough and independent investigation into the use of tear gas in the stadium and to ensure those perpetrators of violations are brought to justice,” Amnesty International said in a statement.
“This loss of life cannot go unanswered.”
– “Fans died in the arms of the players” –
Indonesia’s top security minister Mahfud MD said on Sunday the government would “immediately take some measures to investigate whether the incident constitutes a violation of the law or a crime”.
But online anger mounted, and many posts critical of the police went viral in Indonesia.
“Investigate thoroughly. Firing tear gas in an enclosed space full of people is a serious injury,” read a tweet that has been liked 11,000 times.
An online petition titled “Police must stop using tear gas” has garnered nearly 6,000 signatures as of Monday morning.
The aftermath came as more information about the stampede emerged. Arema FC’s Chilean soccer coach said “fans died in the arms of players”.
“The boys walked by with victims in their arms,” ??Javier Roca told Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser.
“I think the police have crossed their mark.”
Fan violence between rival groups is an ongoing problem in Indonesia.
Witnesses to Saturday’s violence said fans of home side Arema stormed the pitch after their defeat by Persebaya Surabaya.
Persebaya Surabaya fans were not allowed to purchase tickets to the game for fear of violence.
After the deadly onslaught, Arema fans threw rocks at officers and set fire to vehicles, including a police truck, on the streets of Malang, according to police.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino called the tragedy a “dark day” for football but called for no action from the authorities.
World football’s governing body safety guidelines prohibit the carrying of gas for crowd control by police officers or pitchside stewards.
World football mourned the tragedy together, Spanish clubs observed a minute’s silence and top teams from across Europe sent their condolences online.
