The behavior of Indonesian soccer fans reflects that of the quality of the soccer played: poor.
As everybody predicted, soccer hooligans did indeed cause several ruckuses around Jakarta yesterday – before, during, and after the President’s Cup final between Bandung’s Persib and Palembang’s Sriwijaya FC.
One of the biggest incidents didn’t even involve fans from the two competing teams. A crowd of hooligans, suspected to be fans of Jakarta’s Persija, violently protested in Palmerah yesterday afternoon. It was suspected that they weren’t happy their eternal rivals Persib could potentially lift a trophy on Persija’s turf.
The hooligans reportedly pelted rocks at the riot police, though it’s unclear if anyone from either side was hurt. Thirty-five teenagers were eventually arrested.
The clashes were bound to escalate after Persib won the final 2-0. After the game, another clash broke out on Jalan Sudirman when a group of Persija hooligans tried to prevent a bus carrying Persib fans from leaving Jakarta.
After more rock-throwing and chases with the police, 34 teenagers were eventually arrested.
But those are just two incidents out of many that occurred yesterday. Tempo reported that the Jakarta police arrested 714 people, mostly teenagers, for being involved in soccer-related clashes and brawls.
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