The Papua Regional Police (Polda Papua) moved quickly to secure and handle the situation following a riot following a soccer match between Persipura Jayapura and Adhyaksa FC at the Papua Bangkit Stadium in Kampung Harapan, East Sentani District, Jayapura Regency, on Friday (May 8, 2026).
The match, which had been ongoing since the afternoon, ended with Adhyaksa FC winning 1-0 over Persipura Jayapura. Following the match, the situation inside and around the stadium became tense due to the outpouring of disappointment from some supporters over the result.
Security was led by the Papua Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Patrige R. Renwarin, accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Police, and other senior Papua Regional Police officials, and supported by approximately 850 joint security personnel.
The Head of Public Relations of the Papua Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Cahyo Sukarnito, stated that the series of events began when the match kicked off at 5:00 PM WIT. In the 46th minute of the first half, Adhyaksa FC scored a goal, leading 1-0, which ended at 7:00 PM WIT.
Shortly after the final whistle, at around 7:16 PM WIT, a number of supporters from the stands descended onto the field and pursued Adhyaksa FC players and match officials.
“The situation escalated around 8:00 PM WIT. The crowd around the stadium vandalized public facilities and set fire to several vehicles parked around the stadium,” said the Head of Public Relations, Saturday (May 9, 2026).
In response to the incident, joint personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) immediately implemented security measures, crowd control measures, and attempted to restore order to prevent further disruption to public order.
“The joint personnel immediately implemented security measures and crowd control measures to prevent the situation from escalating. The situation around Lukas Enembe Stadium has now become safe and conducive,” said the Head of Public Relations for the Papua Regional Police.
He explained that, based on preliminary monitoring, the riot was triggered by high emotions and disappointment among a number of supporters regarding the match result.
Furthermore, the crowded conditions at the match venue were also exploited by certain individuals to provoke, leading to acts of vandalism and the burning of vehicles around the stadium.
“The Papua Regional Police urge all members of the public and supporters to remain calm, not to be easily provoked, and to entrust the handling of the situation to the security forces,” he added.
The Head of Public Relations also emphasized that the Papua Regional Police will conduct an in-depth investigation into any parties suspected of involvement in the provocative actions and the destruction of public facilities during the riot.
Currently, police are still collecting data on material losses and possible injuries resulting from the incident. Several public facilities, community kiosks, and two- and four-wheeled vehicles were reportedly damaged and burned.
The situation around the Papua Bangkit Stadium reportedly began to return to normal at around 11:45 PM WIT, followed by a consolidation roll call for security personnel at 12:20 AM WIT.
The Papua Regional Police confirmed that they will continue to secure and patrol the area to maintain security and prevent further disturbances to public order and security.
