Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Postponed Following Violent Riots
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was engulfed by haze prior to the scheduled kick-off
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The Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned prior to the start on Sunday, due to what police characterized as "public disorder and serious disturbances".
"Many of smoke grenades and pyrotechnic devices were set off," authorities posted on social media, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a football game, it represents chaos and significant aggression".
A dozen civilians and multiple officers were injured, officials confirmed, while nine people were arrested and numerous others questioned by police.
The clashes occur just a brief period after officials in the United Kingdom stated that supporters of the team should not be allowed to attend the Europa League match at the Birmingham team in England the following month because of security issues.
The local club censured the derby cancellation, accusing Israeli police of "gearing up for a conflict, not a football match", even during discussions in the preparation to the eagerly-awaited match.
"The alarming events outside the arena and following the ill-considered and unacceptable judgment to cancel the game only show that the Israel Police has assumed command over the sport," Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement.
The other team has not yet commented, only acknowledging the match was cancelled.
The judgment by security authorities to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Birmingham game on 6 November has provoked broad condemnation.
The UK government has subsequently stated it is attempting to reverse the restriction and investigating what extra measures might be necessary to guarantee the match can be held without incident.
The English club told their stadium staff that they were not required to attend at the match, saying they acknowledged that some "could be worried".
On earlier in the week, local authorities confirmed it backed the ban and categorized the match as "potentially dangerous" based on information and earlier occurrences.
That encompassed "violent clashes and hate-crime offences" among the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to a match in the Netherlands in late 2024, when numerous persons were arrested.
There have been protests at multiple sporting events over the conflict in Gaza, such as when the national team competed against the Scandinavian team and the European team in latest qualification games.
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Publishedrecently
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Issued16 August
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