Rebecca Ratcliffe in Bangkok and Reno Surya in Jakarta – Indonesian police are facing mounting pressure over their management of crowds during the Kanjuruhan stadium disaster, where at least 125 people were killed and 320 injured in a crush of fleeing spectators.
Police fired teargas in response to a pitch invasion by fans at the overcrowded stadium in Malang, regency, East Java on Saturday night, creating panic among supporters. Three witnesses told the Guardian that teargas was fired not only at fans on the pitch, but also at crowds who had remained in the stands, and that no warning was given.
Huge numbers scrambled to escape, prompting a deadly rush in which many were suffocated or crushed. Officials said 17 children were among those killed.
"I held out in the stands even as the gas strangled my throat," said one fan, who said he was unable to leave because the exit was packed with people. "In my 20 years as an [Arema fan], I have never felt as terrified as I did that night."
Fifa stadium safety guidance that states that "crowd control gas" should not be carried or used by stewards or police inside stadiums.
On Monday, minister of youth and sport Zainudin Amali said he had been asked by president Joko Widodo to visit Malang with national police chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo to conduct an evaluation.
Chief security minister Mahfud MD also told a news conference on Monday that an independent fact-finding team would be formed to investigate the disaster. Rights experts have demanded that any inquiry must be fully impartial.
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia Director, Human Rights Watch, called for Widodo to establish an independent investigation, and publicly report the findings.
"All those responsible should be held accountable for this disaster, regardless of their status or position. It's not enough for the national police and the Football Association of Indonesia to conduct their own investigation because they may be tempted to downplay or undermine full accountability for officials involved," he said.
Fifa should also conduct its own investigation and issue a public report of its findings of what happened, Robertson added.
Said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, has also called for an inquiry, claiming "excessive force" had been used.
East Java's police chief, Nico Afinta, defended the force's response at a news conference on Sunday. He said other measures had been taken before teargas was used but that fans "began to attack the police, acting anarchically and burning vehicles".
A vigil was held outside the Kanjuruhan stadium on Sunday evening to remember the victims. Graffiti on the walls of the stadium revealed deep anger towards the authorities.
"My siblings were killed. Investigate thoroughly," read one message scrawled on the stadium's shutters, accompanied by a black ribbon and the date of the tragedy, according to AFP. "ACAB", an acronym for "all cops are bastards", was sprayed on another wall.
Widodo earlier told authorities to thoroughly re-evaluate security at football matches and ordered the suspension of Liga 1 matches.
Social media footage from the inside the stadium showed chaotic scenes in which fans clambered to escape large amounts of teargas, some trying to carry other injured spectators to safety.
Only Arema fans, the homeside, were allowed to watch Saturday night's march. Fans of the opposing team Persebaya Surabaya, which won, were banned as a precaution to prevent violence between the two sides.
Indonesia has a long running problem with football violence, fuelled by intense rivalry between teams. However previous incidents have not been anywhere near as deadly as Saturday's tragedy, which is one of the worst sports stadium disasters in the world.
The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, called the events "a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension". Football teams around the world offered condolences, including Manchester United, Barcelona, while Real Madrid held a one minute silence before their game on Sunday.
Arema football coach Javier Roca on Sunday said that fans had "died in the arms of players," after some of the team stayed on the pitch when the game ended.
"Returning from the press conference, I saw the tragedy," he said, adding that "the boys passed by with victims in their arms."
"I think the police overstepped their mark, even though I wasn't out there and didn't experience the outcome," the Chilean coach told Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser.
The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) secretary general Yunus Yussi said the body was in touch with Fifa about the crush and hoped to avoid sanctions.
Indonesia is due to host the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup from 20 May to 11 June, with 24 participating teams. As the host, the country automatically qualifies for the cup.
– With Agence France-Presse and Associated Press