Tel Aviv Derby Called Off Due to Major Disturbances
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was filled with haze before the planned start
-
Released
The Israeli Premier League derby involving Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled ahead of the start on Sunday, after what authorities described as "civil unrest and major clashes".
"Many of smoke bombs and fireworks were launched," Israeli police stated on digital channels, emphasizing "this is not a football game, it represents disorder and significant aggression".
A dozen people and three police personnel were injured, police said, while several individuals were arrested and sixteen held for interrogation.
The disturbances happen just a short time after authorities in the UK stated that supporters of the team ought to be banned to go to the international tournament match at Aston Villa in Britain next month because of safety concerns.
The local club censured the derby cancellation, accusing law enforcement of "preparing for a war, rather than a football match", even during talks in the build-up to the eagerly-awaited encounter.
"The shocking situations around the venue and due to the ill-considered and unacceptable decision to cancel the game only show that the law enforcement has seized authority in the football," Hapoel Tel Aviv announced publicly.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet commented, except to confirm the game was called off.
The ruling by security authorities to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Birmingham game on the sixth of November has provoked extensive disapproval.
The UK government has since said it is working to overturn the restriction and exploring what additional resources might be required to make certain the fixture can be held without incident.
Villa told their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the game, explaining they acknowledged that some "may have concerns".
On Thursday, law enforcement confirmed it endorsed the prohibition and designated the game as "potentially dangerous" due to reports and earlier occurrences.
That included "serious fights and bigotry-related acts" among the Dutch team and their supporters ahead of a fixture in the Netherlands in late 2024, when numerous persons were arrested.
There have been protests at multiple games regarding the conflict in Gaza, including when Israel faced the Scandinavian team and Italy in current football World Cup qualifiers.
Related topics
- Football
Additional reports
-
-
Publishedrecently
-
-
-
IssuedMid-August
-
