Monday, January 24, 2011
Persib v Arema 1-1
Sorry, no match report.
Everything kicked off for an hour after a foul by M Ridhuan left a Persib player on the deck. For some reason Noh Alam Shah got involved. To be fair NAS gets involved in everything. If he saw two cats arguing in the street he'd get involved. Cue haraunguing of the ref and then the fans got involved.
A few climbed the fences next to the main stand and hurled abuse. Feeling brave other brave individuals at the back of the terraces and stand threw plastic water bottles.
With nobody trying to stop this nonsense the action spread round the ground and within moments an incident that should have been easily contained with prompt action had led to a near riot. Players stood on the pitch suddenly all best mates, perhaps contemplating how much their actions had been responsible for the sudden departure of young children from the stadium in fear of their safety.
Behind one goal a handful of youths climbed over the fences, unhindered, and started throwing rocks etc at the retreating security forces, attacking the advertising hoardings. Flares were set off and fires lit on two sides of the terraces.
Did the players feel any guilt? Did the PSSI consider this the legacy of years of inactivity?
Chants of LPI (Liga Primer Indonesia) rang down from the terraces as hundreds stood around the field wondering what to do next. A voice came over the PA asking the fans to stop. Please, please, please. Crowd control Indonesian style...beseeching rioters to quit, please.
Then suddenly. Charge! It was like the 7th Cavalry as hundreds of yellow clad security officials charged to one end to stop the dozen or so rock throwers. They of course had it on their toes back behind the fences where they continued their lobbing and taunting.
And boos echoed round the stadium while players and officials stood on the field bewildered.
The game was held up for an hour before calm was restored and, rather predictably, Persib equalised through Atep. But thousands had long gone, filling the quiet Bandung streets of Angin, Angin directed at Arema, PSSI, the referee and, of course, Jakarta.
Another proud day in Indonesian football but who will take the blame?
Scenes of the disturbances can be seen on Jakarta Casual TV
# posted by Me @ 6:01 AM 
