Indonesian soccer fan recalls sting of tear gas before crush

By EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — Dicky Kurniawan felt the sharp sting in his eyes as Indonesian police fired tear gas into the football stadium. From his seat near an exit, he said he watched the melee unfold Saturday night as angry fans poured into the field to demand answers after host Arema FC suffered its first defeat ever on its home turf. The mob threw bottles and other objects, and the violence spread outside the stadium, where police cars were overturned and torched. As the tear gas spread through the stadium, Kurniawan grabbed his girlfriend and — like everyone else — dashed to the exits. The mass rush led to a stampede that killed 125 and injured hundreds. From his hospital bed, Kurniawan says he was fortunate to survive.