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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Reno Surya and Johanes Hutabarat in Jakarta

‘I felt terrified’: fans tell how Indonesian stadium disaster unfolded

Fans crowd to the sides of a stand at the stadium, with police and teargas visible in the foreground.
Witnesses described how police fired teargas into some stands, causing a panicked rush for the exit. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Just after the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya had finished at Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, on Saturday night, a group of three Arema fans climbed down from the stands, attempting to meet their team’s players on the pitch, recalled a spectator who was watching from the southern stand.

It had been a disappointing game for the home side: they’d lost 3-2 to Persebaya Surabaya – a team they shared such fierce rivalry with that its supporters are banned from Arema’s ground. This was their first loss against Persebaya after 23 years of undefeated home matches.

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