The death of a supporter of soccer club Persija Jakarta reportedly at the hands of a group of supporters of Persib Bandung before a match on Sunday has sparked outrage from officials, fellow fans and netizens.
he death of a Persija Jakarta supporter reportedly at the hands of a group of Persib Bandung supporters before a Persib vs Persija soccer match on Sunday has drawn outrage from officials, fellow fans and netizens.
Haringga Sirila, 23, was beaten to death near the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium in Bandung, West Java. According to reports, Haringga was first chased by a group of young men, identified as Persib supporters, who then punched and kicked him in the head. Some also beat him with wooden planks and rocks.
Police have arrested at least five people suspected to have been involved in the incident.
Persib and Persija are bitter rivals and their fans have often clashed resulting in injuries and deaths.
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, who attended the match, expressed his grief over Haringga’s death on his Instagram account on Sunday.
“Very disappointed and sorry for the vicious actions of some Bobotoh [Persib supporters] that have tainted Persib’s hard-won victory,” he said. “For me it would be better to not have a soccer league if it results in the loss of human life.”
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan echoed Ridwan’s sentiments.
“Today is a day of deep mourning,” he posted on his Instagram account. “Angry, sad and disappointed! Violence is suffocating.”
Anies also called on Persija supporters to refrain from retaliating with further violence.
“Brothers and sisters, we are mourning, we are angry, but we must show that we are civilized, that we uphold the law,” he said.
The Bandung Supporter Alliance also condemned the incident and urged all soccer supporters to halt all forms of violence in the name of soccer rivalry.
“Come on, how long will this go on? How long will we continue to inherit this grudge? How many more lives must be lost? And tomorrow who else will die just for a soccer rivalry?” the Alliance said in a statement. “Soccer is not worth a life.”
The hashtag #RIPHaringga was the top trending topic on Twitter in Indonesia on Monday morning, as netizens expressed their anger over Haringga’s death.
Wanting to cause serious physical harm to someone else just because they support a different football team to you is pathetic. #RIPHaringga, you are no longer a supporter, you are a killer.
— Kharisma P. Lanang (@Karizunique) September 23, 2018
“Wanting to cause serious physical harm to someone else just because they support a different soccer team to you is pathetic,” Twitter user @Karizunique wrote.
Begitu tega dan keji terhadap sesama manusia. Apa yang diajarkan di rumah mereka? Ya Tuhan. #RIPHaringga
— Adib Hidayat (@AdibHidayat) September 23, 2018
“So heartless and cruel toward a fellow human being. What are they taught at home? Oh God. #RIPHaringga” said @AdibHidayat.
Activist and family psychologist Alissa Wahid called for harsher punishments toward the club and supporters involved in order to stop such violence from occuring in the future.
Kita tidak bisa berhenti hanya pada mengutuk aksi berdarah yang membawa korban jiwa pendukung klub sepakbola. Selama masih tidak ada konsekuensi yang seimbang bagi suporter & klub, "kecelakaan akibat group riot" akan terus berulang. Ini hukum dasar behavioral change.
— Alissa Wahid (@AlissaWahid) September 24, 2018
“We cannot stop at just condemning the bloody actions that result in the death of a soccer club supporter,” she tweeted on Monday. “As long as there are no commensurate consequences for the supporters and clubs, ‘accidents caused by group riots’ will continue to occur. This is the basic law of behavioral change.”
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.