Malang – ‘To Express Disappointment…?”

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At 9am today, Jakarta time, BBC again covered the horrible news from Malang.

My Indonesian lunch-guest yesterday applauded President Jokowi’s decree…

…stopping all matches for a week – but added that the ban would be better extended indefinitely.

Another Indonesian, reporting for BBC, today, did not say that – but did astound me.

Broadcasting House, London

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The little cutie told us that the crowd which invaded the pitch (after their team lost) did so…

‘To Express Their Disappointment To Players & Officials’

Seriously?

‘Bit of a let-down, gents?’

‘You’ll need to do better next time?‘

I fear the conversations, if any had occurred, might have developed differently.

Even the leftist Jakarta Post reported that..

Police, who characterised the unrest as “riots”, tried to persuade fans to return to the stands and fired tear gas after two officers were killed.  https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2022/10/02/police-call-malang-football-stampede-riots.html

‘Unrest?’  .

Very Jakarta Post turn of phrase!

More useful to pay attention to an Australian, David Lipson, who today told BBC viewers that we should be unsurprised by the violence.

He’s been covering the realities for several years.

Indonesia’s hooligan football culture has killed 74 fans https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-12/indonesia-football-culture-has-killed-74-fans/10794186

No doubt an inquiry will apportion blame, but, while decency demands that the innocent dead be properly lamented…

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..the dangerously violent mobs who call themselves ‘fans’ must not be over-looked.