Persija and Its Supporters

Speaking about football, Jakarta has its own local team where most of Jakartans football lovers proud of it. The team name is Persija, as you all know, and the supporters are called 'The Jakmania'. The team has some local and foreign players. Me myself only knows one name which is Bambang Pamungkas, he's a cute guy though,:)   My nephew used to join the football club for kids around his age, 9 years old. I planned to join him during the football course so that I could write about it but unfortunately when i contacted his mom, she told me that he was already over with football. Why? He is more into futsal and go cart right now. That is why finally I decided to write about one of the best football team in Indonesia with pictures of its supporters.     Jakmania these days are a bit scary. Most people avoids being around them when there is a match in Stadion Gelora Bung Karno or Stadion Lebak Bulus. Yeah, they are being destructive, they bring weapons that could harm others and also drugs. In some occasion before the match, i have the chance to see how those supporters prepare to go and watch their favorite team.   On Thursday 25 March 2010, before the match between Persija and Persib (Bandung), I saw how those Jakmania, which mostly are teenagers, were on to the top of the buses. Some were being pushed to go down by the police and some were being left as it was. I just can not imagine how their parents let their children go and watch the football match where in most occasion they fight with other supporters. You can read here on how a mother prohibited her son watching a football match. What I also do not understand, those who fully supporting the team by providing the orange football t-shirts, uniquely of Persija and the banners let those supporters being such a disturbance for others who uses the road in Jakarta. Yeah, whenever there is a match between Persija versus other team, pretty sure traffic jam in Jakarta is getting worst. Most of my friends in facebook and twitter, updating the status of how they were annoyed with those supporters while some others updating the status about the match and me enjoy reading those status,:) Those supporters using their motocycle, renting the angkot, mikrolet, metromini and kopaja (well i am not sure if they rent it or it is provided by the one who provided those attributes) gather in one place and all together going to stadion which causes the traffic jam.     These pictures showed how those supporters prepared and went to Stadion Gelora Bung Karno. They were  taken by myself during driving, that is why some pictures are blurred. They were taken from Palmerah Area till Tanah Abang. As you can see how those children, yeah i can say children looking at how small they are, on the top of the vehicles which are dangerous and i am sure if they parents see this, they will not allow them to watch their favorite team (which is i am not sure if it is their favorite team or just following their friends to join the crowd). Once i asked my friend who is the fanatic of Persija. He has watched Persija many times live in the stadion. He always try his best to avoid from those destructive supporters. "It's a pathetic to see what the supporters did and if the team's being punished, then no one can watch our favorite team live and the income for the team is getting lesser", he said. Yeah he is right, as the supporters, they have to show their good manners because they bring the name of their favorite team and surely as supporters they have to think of their safety. No one wants to be hurted or die for silly reason, right?