Police, Match Officials on Trial Related to Deadly Soccer Stadium Stampede
Police officers and match officials in Indonesia are on trial this week in connection with a stadium stampede that killed more than 100 people in October.
Al Jazeera reported that three officers and two officials are being tried on charges of negligence over their alleged roles last year in the deaths of 135 people at a football match in East Java.
According to the report, they each are facing a maximum prison sentence of five years if convicted over the disaster, one of the world’s worst stadium stampedes.
The trial, which began on Monday, is being held via teleconference due to security concerns, said court spokesperson Agung Pranata.
On Oct. 1, police fired tear gas inside Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, where fans had run onto the pitch after Arema FC, the home team, lost its match. Al Jazeera reported that there were not any supporters from rival Persebaya Surabaya because of previous crowd issues. Amid the clouds of smoke, panicked people rushed for the exits, some of which were locked.
Police described the incident as a riot and said two officers were killed, but survivors accused them of overreacting, according to the Al Jazeera report. Videos showed officers using force, kicking and hitting fans with batons, and pushing spectators back into the stands.
An investigation team set up by Indonesian President Joko Widodo amid national outrage over the deaths concluded that the tear gas was the main cause of the crowd surge. The investigators said police on duty did not know that the use of tear gas was banned as a crowd-control measure at football matches and used it “indiscriminately” on the field, in the stands and outside the stadium, causing more than 42,000 spectators inside the 36,000-seat stadium to rush to escape.
An investigation by the country’s human rights commission also blamed the police use of tear gas.
Lead prosecutor Ari Basuki said the three police officers had given clear instructions to their subordinates to fire tear gas.
A lawyer for the match organizer from Arema, one of the officials on trial, said his client denied all charges.
National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo has removed the police chiefs of East Java province and Malang district and suspended 20 other officers over violations of professional ethics since the tragedy.
The Indonesian government plans to demolish and rebuild the stadium. Al Jazeera reported that League games have since resumed but without spectators.
The next hearing before the panel of judges is scheduled for Jan. 23.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/safety-security/article/15305567/police-match-officials-on-trial-related-to-deadly-soccer-stadium-stampede?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230117002&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
Belgium Seeks to Control Fan Violence With New Laws
Authorities in Belgium are looking for new ways to handle fan violence at soccer matches, as a record number of fans have been banned from stadiums for bad behavior over the past year.
The sanctions “are a clear signal that bad behavior has no place in our soccer stadiums,” Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said Tuesday, according to The Seattle Times.
According to the ministry’s figures, as reported by the Times, “the number of citations submitted by police during the 2021-22 season was not significantly higher than in 2018-2019 prior to the coronavirus outbreak, but the penalties were tougher. During the 2021-22 season, stadium bans for individual fans added up to a total of 22,037 months, almost double the 2018-2019 total of 11,229 months.”
The total amount of fines also increased significantly, from 540,525 euros ($585,000) to 910,250 euros ($985,000).
Ministry officials have met in recent months with league and club officials to draft a new law aimed at reducing incidents.
The Belgian government seeks to tighten access to stadiums and keep violent individuals away. It would also like to punish clubs for not complying with regulations on ticket sales or if they fail to take sufficient precautions to ban the use of flares.
Offenses such as physical violence, racism or the use of fireworks would be punishable by stadium bans of up to 10 years, instead of the current five.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/safety-security/article/15305565/belgium-seeks-to-control-fan-violence-with-new-laws?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230117002&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
State Farm Stadium Wrestles With Fire Code Violations Ahead of Super Bowl
State Farm Stadium Wrestles With Fire Code Violations Ahead of Super Bowl
As State Farm Stadium preps to host next month’s Super Bowl, facility operators are tasked with fixing numerous fire code violations at the Glendale, Ariz., venue.
An ABC15 investigation in September looked at 190 inspections of the stadium over a five-year period. The investigation found the State Farm failed 87 inspections, amounting to a 46 percent failure rate. Some of the inspections saw 20 or more violations, even though just one violation can result in a failure.
In September, stadium manager Andy Gorchov told ABC15 that the problems would be fixed in a more timely manner and expressed hope that future inspections would see improved scores.
That doesn’t appear to be the case given that ABC15 obtained state fire inspections for August through December 2022, which found that State Farm Stadium failed 19 of 27 inspections, a 70 percent failure rate that is higher than the five-year average. Nevertheless, the new investigation found that many of the violations were fixed either on the spot or within days of the visit.
“Before we really wasn’t [sic] closing the loop on that,” said state Fire Marshal Cassie Peters. “When we see a decline in violations, there’s something we all applaud because that’s what we’re after.”
This fall State Farm hired its own fire/life safety specialist who works with state fire inspectors during all stadium events to oversee the process from the stadium’s side.
According to ABC15, violations in the most recent stack of inspections included “obstructed doors and emergency exit pathways that blocked access to electrical panels and non-compliant fire suppression systems.”
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/stadium-arena/article/15305564/state-farm-stadium-wrestles-with-fire-code-violations-ahead-of-super-bowl?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230117002&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
South Korean police blame deadly Seoul stampede on negligence
1/13/2023, 6:08:36 AM
The special team in charge of the investigation concluded that there had been enormous failures, both at the level of the organization and the reaction on the ground.
The deadly stampede that killed more than 150 people in Seoul on Halloween last year was due to negligence and lack of preparation, a South Korean police investigation concluded on Friday.
The victims of this tragedy in the Itaewon district, known for its nightlife, were mostly young Koreans in costume, including many women in their twenties.
“Their plans were insufficient”
The special team in charge of the investigation, which spent months gathering evidence and questioning the authorities concerned, concluded that there had been enormous failures, both at the level of the organization and the reaction on the ground.
”
Organizations that are legally bound to prevent and manage disasters — the police, Seoul district offices, and the public company Seoul Metro — did not take any security measures in advance or their plans were insufficient
,” team leader Sohn Jae-han told reporters.
Read alsoHalloween drama in Seoul: how can a crowd movement cause so many deaths?
”
No appropriate action was taken even after receiving the emergency calls
” on the day of the disaster, he insisted, adding that the lack of cooperation between the competent authorities and the delays in communication had contributed to increase the balance sheet.
Six people have been arrested in connection with the investigation, including Lee Im-jae, the former Yongsan police commissioner who covers the Itaewon district, and Park Hee-young, the Yongsan district chief.
Both are in custody for professional negligence causing the death of others.
In December, a teenage survivor of the tragedy was found dead in what appears to be a suicide.
Authorities decided to count him as a victim of the disaster, bringing the death toll to 159.
“Difficult to conclude to a breach of duty”
The team of investigators, however, refrained from naming officials in the government or the police, arguing that it was “
difficult to conclude to a breach of duty
”.
The Home Secretary has been heavily criticized in the wake of the tragedy, with some calling for his resignation after he claimed that mobilizing more firefighters and police would not have prevented the tragedy.
He has since apologized on numerous occasions, including to the families of the victims last week, but has not tendered his resignation.
South Korea’s rapid transformation from a poor, war-torn nation into a leading economy with global cultural reach remains a national pride.
But a series of preventable disasters — such as the Itaewon tragedy and the sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014 in which 304 people died — have shaken Koreans’ faith in the authorities.
https://newsrnd.com/news/2023-01-13-south-korean-police-blame-deadly-seoul-stampede-on-negligence.SJT2i309s.html
Slippery Surfaces, Injuries Reported at SoFi During College Football Championship
The experience for fans who crowded into a rainy SoFi Stadium for the College National Championship Monday night was reportedly less than ideal.
While the venue has a roof, NBC Sports reported that “there are gaps” and the rain blew sideways, and people got wet.
That may not sound like the worst scenario for a sporting event, but NBC also reported that people slipped on surfaces covered with rainwater. Some were even injured. Videos on social media showed concourse floors with puddles and people being wheeled out on stretchers as workers attempted to mop up the water.
NBC suggested that problems were so egregious that SoFi should immediately order a full study of all surfaces within the multibillion-dollar facility.
“If a new covering is needed to minimize the possibility of slipping and falling, it should be selected and implemented as soon as possible,” wrote Mike Florio of NBC Sports. “Beyond the liability and customer-service realities, it’s a basic matter of right and wrong.”
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/stadium-arena/article/15305358/slippery-surfaces-injuries-reported-at-sofi-during-college-football-championship?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230113002&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
2nd Woman Dies After Asake Concert Crush at London’s Brixton Academy
2nd Woman Dies After Asake Concert Crush at London’s Brixton Academy
Gabrielle Hutchinson, 23, was working as a security guard at the venue.
A second person has died after a crush at a London concert venue last week, British police said Monday (Dec. 19).
Gabrielle Hutchinson, 23, was working as a security guard at the O2 Brixton Academy, where Nigerian singer Asake was due to perform Thursday. Hutchinson was one of eight people hospitalized after being caught in mayhem at the venue, and died on Monday, the Metropolitan Police force said.
Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, died on Saturday morning. A 21-year-old woman remains in critical condition. All three were in the foyer of the concert hall when they were caught up in a throng of people.
The police force said emergency services were called to reports of a large crowd and people trying to force their way into the venue.
The force said detectives were reviewing security camera and phone footage, speaking to witnesses and conducting forensic examinations as part of a “large and complex” investigation. It said it was too early to say whether any crimes were committed.
The Brixton Academy in south London is one of the city’s most famous music venues. Built as a movie theater in the 1920s, it has a capacity of just under 5,000.
https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/asake-concert-crush-london-brixton-academy-2nd-woman-dead-1235189310/
Stampede during New Year’s event in Uganda kills at least 9
Stampede during New Year’s event in Uganda kills at least 9
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A stampede during New Year’s celebrations at a popular mall in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, left at least nine people dead, including children, police said Sunday.
The stampede happened at the Freedom City Mall in Namasuba suburb as revelers rushed to watch fireworks.
The Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, said the incident appeared to have occurred at midnight “when an event emcee encouraged attendees to go outside and watch a fireworks display.”
The Katwe Territorial Police are “investigating an incident of rash (behavior) and neglect” according to an official statement.
No arrests have been made so far.
Police said five people died at the scene and four others died of their injuries at the hospital where they had been taken for treatment. There was no immediate information on other injured people.
The police said the bodies had been taken to the city mortuary in Mulago.
The shopping mall is a popular venue for music concerts and new year celebrations.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/stampede-during-years-event-uganda-114203792.html
Crush kills at least 151 at Halloween festivities in Seoul
Crush kills at least 151 at Halloween festivities in Seoul
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A mass of mostly young people among tens of thousands who gathered to celebrate Halloween in Seoul became trapped and crushed as the crowd surged into a narrow alley, killing at least 151 people and injuring 82 others in South Korea’s worst disaster in years.
Emergency workers and pedestrians desperately performed CPR on people lying in the streets after the crush in the capital’s nightlife district of Itaewon on Saturday night.
Those killed or hurt were mostly teens and people in their 20s, according to Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan fire department. The dead included 19 foreigners, he said, whose nationalities weren’t immediately released. The death toll could rise further as 19 of those injured were in critical condition.
An estimated 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon for the country’s biggest outdoor Halloween festivities since the pandemic began and strict rules on gatherings were enforced. The South Korean government eased COVID-19 restrictions in recent months and this was the first big chance to get out and party for many young people.
While Halloween isn’t a traditional holiday in South Korea, where children rarely go trick-or-treating, it’s still a major attraction for young adults, and costume parties at bars and clubs have become hugely popular in recent years.
Itaewon, near where the former headquarters of U.S. military forces in South Korea operated before moving out of the capital in 2018, is an expat-friendly district known for its trendy bars, clubs and restaurants and it’s the city’s marquee Halloween destination.
Witnesses say Itaewon’s streets were so densely clogged with people and slow-moving vehicles that it was practically impossible for emergency workers and ambulances to reach the alley in time to treat the injured.
Seoul’s city government said more than 1,000 people have called a ward office in nearby Hannam-dong as of midday Saturday, reporting their relatives as out of contact and asking officials to confirm whether they were among those injured or dead after the crush in Itaewon.
Officials initially said 150 people were injured as of Sunday morning before later lowering their tally.
National Fire Agency officials didn’t immediately explain why the tally was reduced but said emergency workers would have had a more accurate idea of the casualties as rescue operations proceeded and that some of the injured would have been converted to deaths. It was also possible that some of those who were lightly injured had returned home overnight and were no longer counted.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a national mourning period on Sunday and ordered flags at government buildings and public offices to be raised at half-staff. During a televised speech, Yoon said supporting the families of the victims, including their funeral preparations, and the treatment of the injured would be a top priority for his government.
He also called for officials to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and review the safety of other large cultural and entertainment events, including regional festivals, to ensure that they proceed safely.
“This is really devastating. The tragedy and disaster that need not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul amid Halloween (celebrations),” Yoon said during the speech. “I feel heavy hearted and cannot contain my sadness as a president responsible for the people’s lives and safety.”
After the speech, Yoon visited the Itaewon alley where the disaster occurred. Local TV footage showed Yoon inspecting the alley filled with trash and being briefed by emergency officials.
It was not immediately clear what led the crowd to surge into the narrow downhill alley near the Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul. One survivor said many people fell and toppled one another “like dominos” after they were pushed by others. The survivor, surnamed Kim, said they were trapped for about an hour and a half before being rescued, as some people shouted “Help me!” and others were short of breath, according to the Seoul-based Hankyoreh newspaper.
Another survivor, Lee Chang-kyu, said he saw about five to six men push others before one or two began falling, according to the newspaper.
In an interview with news channel YTN, Hwang Min-hyeok, a visitor to Itaewon, said it was shocking to see rows of bodies near the hotel. He said emergency workers were initially overwhelmed, leaving pedestrians struggling to administer CPR to the injured lying on the streets. People wailed beside the bodies of their friends, he said.
Another survivor in his 20s said he avoided being trampled by managing to get into a bar whose door was open in the alley, Yonhap news agency reported. A woman in her 20s surnamed Park told Yonhap that she and others were standing along the side of the alley while others caught in the middle of the alley had no escape.
Choi, the fire department chief, said that bodies were being sent to hospitals or a gym, where bereaved family members could identify them. He said most of the dead and injured are in their 20s.
“Horrific news from Seoul tonight,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted. “All our thoughts are with those currently responding and all South Koreans at this very distressing time.”
Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser, tweeted that reports of the disaster were “heartbreaking” and said Washington “stands ready to provide the Republic of Korea with any support it needs.”
The last South Korean disaster this deadly also hit young people the hardest. In April 2014, 304 people, mostly high school students, died in a ferry sinking. The sinking exposed lax safety rules and regulatory failures; it was partially blamed on excessive and poorly fastened cargo and a crew poorly trained for emergency situations. Saturday’s deaths will likely draw public scrutiny of what government officials have done to improve public safety standards since the ferry disaster.
It was also Asia’s second major crushing disaster in a month. On Oct. 1, police in Indonesia fired tear gas at a soccer match, causing a crush that killed 132 people as spectators attempted to flee.
More than 1,700 response personnel from across the country were deployed to the streets to help the wounded, including about 520 firefighters, 1,100 police officers and 70 government workers. The National Fire Agency separately said in a statement that officials were still trying to determine the exact number of emergency patients.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a statement calling for officials to ensure swift treatment for those injured and review the safety of the festivity sites.
This was the deadliest crushing disaster in South Korean history. In 2005, 11 people were killed and around 60 others were injured at a pop concert in the southern city of Sangju.
In 1960, 31 people died after being crushed on the stairs of a train station as large crowds rushed to board a train during the Lunar New Year holidays.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/officials-dozens-cardiac-arrest-seoul-151950931.html
129 dead after fans stampede to exit Indonesian soccer match
Indonesia Soccer Deaths
Police officers fire tear gas during a soccer match at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Clashes between supporters of two Indonesian soccer teams in East Java province killed over 100 fans and a number of police officers, mostly trampled to death, police said Sunday. (AP Photo/Yudha Prabowo)
MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — Panic at an Indonesian soccer match after police fired tear gas to stop brawls left 129 dead, mostly trampled to death, police said Sunday.
Several fights between supporters of the two rival soccer teams were reported inside the Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java province’s Malang city after the Indonesian Premier League game ended with Persebaya Surabaya beating Arema Malang 3-2.
The brawls that broke out just after the game ended late night Saturday prompted riot police to fire tear gas, which caused panic among supporters, said East Java Police Chief Nico Afinta.
Hundreds of people ran to an exit gate in an effort to avoid the tear gas. Some suffocated in the chaos and others were trampled, killing 34 almost instantly.
More than 300 were rushed to nearby hospitals to treat injuries but many died on the way and during a treatment, Afinta said.
He said the death toll is likely still increasing, since many of about 180 injured victims’ conditions were deteriorating.
https://sports.yahoo.com/127-soccer-fans-police-killed-002644084.html
Climate change protester sets arm on fire during Laver Cup match
The Laver Cup match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Diego Schwartzman was briefly interrupted by a climate change protester who set his arm on fire while on court.
The bizarre protest at the O2 Arena in London came as Roger Federer prepared to play the final match of his career and with the 41-year-old sat courtside.
The protester made it past security to get onto the court before staging the protest, setting his right arm on fire.
The incident was not shown by broadcasters, but pictures from courtside showed the man was screaming in agony.
He was then removed from the court by security and was led away from the arena.
The man wore a t-shirt which read: “End UK private jets”.
The match resumed after the man was detained and there was a further delay as liquid was cleared from the court.
Earlier this year, a semi-final match at the French Open was interrupted by a protester who chained herself to a net.
https://news.yahoo.com/climate-change-protester-sets-arm-154838391.html