Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off After Major Disturbances
Bloomfield Stadium in the city was filled with haze ahead of the anticipated kick-off
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The Israeli Premier League rivalry match between one local team and their city rivals was cancelled ahead of commencement on Sunday, following what law enforcement described as "civil unrest and major clashes".
"Many of smoke devices and flares were launched," Israeli police posted on social media, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a sporting event, it represents unrest and significant aggression".
Twelve individuals and several officers were hurt, officials confirmed, while nine people were detained and numerous others questioned by police.
The clashes occur just days after representatives in the United Kingdom stated that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans cannot be permitted to be present at the international tournament game at the English club in Britain in November because of security issues.
The local club criticised the match postponement, accusing Israeli police of "gearing up for a war, instead of a football match", including during talks in the build-up to the much-expected fixture.
"The alarming situations around the venue and following the ill-considered and scandalous ruling not to hold the game only show that the authorities has seized authority in the game," the team stated officially.
Their rivals has remained silent, merely stating the game was called off.
The ruling by security authorities to ban club followers from the Birmingham game on 6 November has triggered extensive disapproval.
The UK government has since said it is working to overturn the restriction and exploring what additional resources might be needed to guarantee the game can be conducted securely.
Aston Villa informed their security personnel that they could choose not to participate at the fixture, saying they understood that some "could be worried".
On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police said it endorsed the restriction and categorized the fixture as "high risk" based on information and earlier occurrences.
That included "physical confrontations and hate-crime offences" among the Dutch team and their supporters before a fixture in Amsterdam in November 2024, when more than 60 people were detained.
There have been protests at multiple games concerning the conflict in Gaza, including when Israel faced the Scandinavian team and the European team in latest international matches.
Associated subjects
- Football
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Published2 days ago
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Issued16 August
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