Indonesian police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse hundreds of football fans who tried to watch a match behind closed doors. four months after the country suffered one of the world’s deadliest stadium stampedes.
Key points:
- Supporters were barred from the match for security reasons after the deadly stampede in October.
- Local media footage showed hundreds of supporters running to avoid the smoke from tear gas.
- The use of tear gas is controversial after its excessive use was found to be the main trigger for the Malang stampede.
Tickets for the derby match between PSIS Semarang and Persis Solo were sold out on Friday, but police decided the day before the match to ban spectators for security reasons, the provincial governor said.
This decision was part of the protocols introduced after 135 people died during a match in Malang in October.
The move angered PSIS Semarang supporters, hundreds of whom gathered outside Jatidiri Stadium and were pushed back by police as they tried to enter.
Supporters threw stones at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, local television footage showed.
The supporters threw objects at the police who tried to detain them. (AP: Adhik Kurniawan)
There were no immediate reports of casualties and police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The use of tear gas is controversial after an investigation concluded that its excessive and indiscriminate use by Indonesian police last October was the main trigger for the deadly Malang stampede.
FIFA, soccer’s governing body, bans tear gas as a crowd control measure inside stadiums.
Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said he understood fans’ disappointment at not being able to attend and said organizers should have coordinated better with police.
FIFA has banned tear gas in football stadiums. (AP: Yudha Prabowo)
“The police must have their own judgment and their own considerations on security aspects,” Ganjar said by telephone.
Friday’s incident is another setback for Indonesia at a time when FIFA is closely scrutinizing the country and it is preparing to host the Under-23 World Cup in May.
The visiting team Persis Solo is co-owned by Erick Thohir, a minister elected this week to head the Indonesian football federation.
Its other owner is Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of President Joko Widodo, who has demanded improvements in the organization of domestic matches.
Reuters
