Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Cancelled Due to Major Disturbances
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was covered in smoke ahead of the anticipated start
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The domestic football league local clash between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was called off before kick-off on Sunday, due to what authorities characterized as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances".
"Dozens of smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," Israeli police posted on digital channels, adding "this is not a football game, it constitutes unrest and serious violence".
A dozen individuals and multiple law enforcement members were harmed, police said, while several individuals were taken into custody and sixteen held for interrogation.
The unrest occur just days after officials in the United Kingdom stated that supporters of the team should not be allowed to attend the Europa League fixture at the Birmingham team in England the following month because of security issues.
The local club condemned the game abandonment, claiming Israeli police of "getting ready for a conflict, not a football match", particularly during discussions in the build-up to the highly-anticipated match.
"The disturbing situations around the venue and due to the irresponsible and unacceptable decision not to hold the fixture only show that the authorities has assumed command over the sport," the club announced publicly.
The other team has remained silent, except to confirm the game was called off.
The judgment by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to exclude Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the English fixture on 6 November has sparked broad condemnation.
The British authorities has later announced it is attempting to reverse the ban and investigating what additional resources might be required to make certain the fixture can be conducted securely.
Aston Villa told their stadium staff that they were not required to attend at the fixture, explaining they understood that some "might feel uneasy".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it endorsed the restriction and classified the game as "high risk" due to intelligence and previous incidents.
That involved "serious fights and bigotry-related acts" involving the Dutch team and their supporters prior to a fixture in the Netherlands in November 2024, when more than 60 people were detained.
There have been demonstrations at various sporting events regarding the situation in Gaza, for instance when the national team competed against the Scandinavian team and the European team in current qualification games.
Associated subjects
- The sport
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Releasedrecently
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Published16 August
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