Damage caused by riots only slight, official says
Damage caused by riots only slight, official says
JAKARTA (JP): The riots that marred the Indonesian soccer
league championship final between Persib Bandung and Petrokimia
Putra on Sunday are expected to cost the organizers a
considerable sum, but an official says the damage caused was
tolerable.
The director of Senayan's management board, Saptodarsono, said
yesterday that the board will have to repair Senayan stadium
after thousands of fanatic supporters broke down the safety fence
surrounding the pitch.
The 1,200-meter fence was demolished when thousands of Persib
supporters tried to rush onto the pitch for a victory
celebration.
Saptodarsono refused to disclose the total financial losses,
saying that both the board and the organizers are still in the
process of calculation.
"The rampage did not affect the construction of the stadium,
except for slight damages to several buildings and parks,"
Saptodarsono said.
More than 100,000 people turned out to watch the frenetic
final match, for which the organizers deployed 2,000 security
officers to maintain order.
Supporters of both soccer teams were involved in physical
flare-ups outside the stadium, using stones and sticks to beat
each other. A number of windows in several buildings owned by the
management board were smashed during the brawls.
Security officials claimed that some 20 people, including two
officers, were injured during the riot. A 60-year-old Persib'
fan, Sutaryono, died of a heart attack prior to the match.
The final match, won by Persib 1-0, was also marred by a fire
which razed the balcony above gate two. Six fire engines were
deployed to extinguish the fire.
"It was an accident. A negligent spectator might have dropped
a cigarette butt onto a heap of dry waste from the balcony,"
Saptodarsono said.
Reconstruction will start as soon as possible, because, he
said, "we have to complete the project by Aug. 20." The stadium
has been named the closing ceremony venue for the 1995 national
youth march. (amd)