Tel Aviv Derby Cancelled Due to Violent Riots
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was filled with smoke ahead of the scheduled start
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The Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was abandoned prior to kick-off on Sunday, after what police described as "public disorder and violent riots".
"Many of smoke bombs and flares were launched," Israeli police stated on digital channels, noting "this cannot be considered a match, this is chaos and significant aggression".
A dozen individuals and several police personnel were hurt, police said, while nine people were arrested and sixteen detained for questioning.
The disturbances happen just a brief period after representatives in the UK announced that followers of the club ought to be banned to go to the European competition match at Aston Villa in England in November because of security issues.
One team condemned the game abandonment, accusing Israeli police of "gearing up for a war, instead of a sporting event", even during discussions in the build-up to the much-expected encounter.
"The disturbing situations outside the venue and after the irresponsible and scandalous ruling to cancel the game only show that the Israel Police has assumed command over the football," the club announced publicly.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has declined to speak, only acknowledging the fixture was abandoned.
The decision by the local safety committee to prohibit club followers from the English fixture on the sixth of November has sparked extensive disapproval.
The government officials has subsequently stated it is working to overturn the prohibition and investigating what further support might be necessary to guarantee the fixture can be held without incident.
Aston Villa notified their matchday stewards that they could choose not to participate at the match, saying they recognized that some "could be worried".
On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police said it backed the prohibition and categorized the game as "high risk" according to information and previous incidents.
That included "serious fights and hate-crime offences" involving Ajax and followers before a fixture in Amsterdam in the previous year, when over sixty individuals were detained.
There have been protests at various games regarding the war in Gaza, such as when the national team competed against Norway and the European team in current football World Cup qualifiers.
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Posted48 hours prior
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Published16 August
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