Indonesian recalls stinging tear gas in deadly soccer melee
Updated
In a bloody soccer melee Indonesia’s government declared an emergency, while some football fans threw stones at police and even started a riot.
Police responded by firing tear gas, forcing spectators to run in the street. The rioters then threw stones at the police, police and firemen, who responded with tear gas.
A video by a reporter for Sky News Indonesian shows the violent scenes: fans with sticks and stones charging toward the police and the fire brigade, with no intention of stopping.
A picture taken from a Sky News journalist’s camera during the riot.
In the end, many died, and several thousand were injured — including the two teenagers who were playing in a game in Jakarta’s soccer stadium.
The riot broke out at around 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Saturday, while the match was being played between Indonesia’s professional club side Persik Kediri and the Indonesia U-23 national team.
Persik Kediri have played in front of a packed stadium. Jakarta (AFP/Getty Images)
The police tried to stop the violence only by firing tear gas, which made many spectators run in the street.
The riot broke out when a young man who was part of the police section threw a knife and broke the window of the fire brigade vehicle, while another member allegedly tried to get into the vehicle with a knife.
As the situation grew in size, the police used pepper spray and then tear gas, which made many spectators run in the street.
‘I can’t put words to how angry I felt at that time,’ said an attendee at the scene.
‘Why did my child have to die? Why did my family have to lose their home? Why did these parents have to lose their lives?’
A picture provided by Sky News journalist James Duthie shows police firing tear gas in front of an Indonesian crowd.
Meanwhile, other fans started throwing stones at the police and fire brigade, with no intention of stopping.
When a stone missed the
