Indonesia police under fire over tear gas use in soccer stampede

Government forms independent team to probe incident in which 125 died

20221003 Arema FC players and officials Indonesia fatal football match stampede

Arema FC players and officials scatter petals to pay condolences to the victims of the riot and stampede outside Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, Indonesia, on Oct. 3. © Reuters

ERWIDA MAULIA, Nikkei staff writer

October 3, 2022 17:13 JST

JAKARTA -- Indonesia's National Police are in the hot seat, as details emerging from a deadly stampede at the end of a soccer match in East Java province on Saturday suggest that it was triggered by officers' use of tear gas to disperse crowds, a practice banned by soccer's international governing body, FIFA.