Tel-Aviv Derby Called Off Due to Major Disturbances
The sports venue in the city was engulfed by haze prior to the planned kick-off
-
Published
The domestic football league derby involving one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was called off prior to commencement on the weekend, after what law enforcement characterized as "civil unrest and serious disturbances".
"Many of smoke bombs and fireworks were thrown," law enforcement announced on digital channels, adding "this is not a sporting event, this is disorder and significant aggression".
A dozen people and several law enforcement members were harmed, authorities reported, while several individuals were taken into custody and sixteen questioned by police.
The unrest come just days after representatives in the Britain announced that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans cannot be permitted to attend the international tournament match at the English club in Britain next month because of safety concerns.
Hapoel Tel Aviv censured the derby cancellation, accusing Israeli police of "preparing for a war, instead of a sporting event", including during meetings in the lead-up to the much-expected match.
"The alarming situations near the stadium and due to the ill-considered and unacceptable judgment to cancel the game only demonstrate that the law enforcement has seized authority in the sport," the team stated officially.
The other team has not yet commented, only acknowledging the match was cancelled.
The judgment by security authorities to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match on November 6 has provoked widespread criticism.
The UK government has subsequently stated it is seeking to cancel the ban and investigating what extra measures might be necessary to make certain the match can be hosted safely.
Aston Villa told their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the game, explaining they recognized that some "may have concerns".
On the previous day, West Midlands Police confirmed it endorsed the restriction and classified the fixture as "concerning" based on intelligence and past events.
That involved "violent clashes and hate-crime offences" among the Dutch team and their supporters before a match in Amsterdam in late 2024, when numerous persons were detained.
There have been protests at several games concerning the war in Gaza, such as when Israel played the Scandinavian team and the European team in recent football World Cup qualifiers.
Associated subjects
- The sport
Additional reports
-
-
Released2 days ago
-
-
-
IssuedAugust 16
-
