Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Cancelled Due to Violent Riots
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was filled with haze ahead of the planned kick-off
-
Published
The Israeli Premier League rivalry match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was abandoned before the start on the weekend, after what authorities characterized as "public disorder and major clashes".
"Many of smoke devices and pyrotechnic devices were set off," Israeli police stated on digital channels, noting "this cannot be considered a football game, it represents disorder and major hostilities".
A dozen people and multiple law enforcement members were hurt, police said, while several individuals were detained and sixteen questioned by police.
The unrest happen just a short time after authorities in the United Kingdom announced that followers of the club should not be allowed to go to the Europa League fixture at the Birmingham team in Britain in November because of security issues.
One team condemned the match postponement, claiming law enforcement of "preparing for a war, instead of a sporting event", including during meetings in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated match.
"The alarming incidents outside the venue and after the irresponsible and outrageous judgment not to hold the match only demonstrate that the law enforcement has seized authority in the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv announced publicly.
The other team has not yet commented, except to confirm the match was cancelled.
The ruling by the local safety committee to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Birmingham game on the sixth of November has sparked broad condemnation.
The UK government has subsequently stated it is working to overturn the prohibition and investigating what further support might be necessary to ensure the fixture can be held without incident.
Aston Villa told their security personnel that they did not have to work at the fixture, saying they understood that some "might feel uneasy".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police confirmed it endorsed the restriction and designated the fixture as "potentially dangerous" based on intelligence and earlier occurrences.
That included "serious fights and hate-crime offences" between the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a game in Amsterdam in the previous year, when more than 60 people were detained.
There have been protests at several sporting events concerning the war in Gaza, for instance when Israel faced the Scandinavian team and the European team in recent qualification games.
Connected themes
- Football
Further coverage
-
-
Releasedrecently
-
-
-
Released16 August
-
