Westlife riot

A Jakarta police spokesman blamed the injuries on unruly fans who, despite pleas from the organisers, kept surging towards the stage.

“They just went out of control seeing the band live,” he says. “We tried to stop them, but couldn’t do anything.”

Their version of events is challenged by The Straits Times who, quoting local sources, suggest that, “The clash involved the organising committee’s security personnel and members of the city police guarding the concert site. Police officers were seen chasing the security personnel, causing panic among the 15,000 spectators.”