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Pope prays for those killed when soccer match turned deadly

1 min read
papież Franciszek przesłał kondolencje po śmierci Elżbiety II

Credit: ALESSIA GIULIANI / ipa-agency.ne/Press Association/East News

A home team loss brought angry fans to the field and police reacted with tear gas.

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Pope Francis prayed for those who lost their lives at a soccer match in Indonesia on Saturday.

The Pope mentioned the tragedy after he led the midday Angelus today at St. Peter's Square.

More than 120 people were killed, and perhaps nearly 200, when the hometown Arema soccer team lost 3-2 to longtime rivals Persebaya Surabaya. Fans rushed the field and were apparently getting violent when police responded by firing tear gas.

This led to a stampede toward the exit - a situation worsened by the fact that the stadium was over sold - leading to many people being crushed.

Soccer violence is a repeat problem in Indonesia. President Joko Widodo has called for a thorough investigation.