Tel Aviv Derby Cancelled Following Violent Riots
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was filled with smoke ahead of the planned beginning
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The Israeli Premier League derby involving one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned prior to kick-off on the weekend, due to what authorities characterized as "civil unrest and violent riots".
"Dozens of smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices were set off," authorities posted on digital channels, adding "this cannot be considered a football game, it constitutes unrest and major hostilities".
Twelve people and three officers were hurt, officials confirmed, while nine people were arrested and sixteen held for interrogation.
The unrest occur just a short time after authorities in the United Kingdom announced that supporters of the team cannot be permitted to be present at the international tournament match at Aston Villa in England next month because of public safety worries.
The local club censured the match postponement, alleging Israeli police of "getting ready for a conflict, rather than a football match", particularly during talks in the preparation to the eagerly-awaited match.
"The disturbing incidents outside the venue and after the reckless and unacceptable judgment to abandon the fixture only show that the authorities has taken control of the football," the club announced publicly.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has declined to speak, except to confirm the game was called off.
The judgment by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to prohibit club followers from the Birmingham game on November 6 has sparked widespread criticism.
The British authorities has later announced it is attempting to reverse the restriction and considering what additional resources might be required to make certain the fixture can be held without incident.
The English club told their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the game, saying they recognized that some "may have concerns".
On earlier in the week, law enforcement stated it backed the prohibition and designated the match as "potentially dangerous" based on intelligence and previous incidents.
That included "serious fights and discrimination incidents" between Ajax and their supporters before a fixture in Amsterdam in November 2024, when over sixty individuals were arrested.
There have been protests at various athletic competitions regarding the conflict in Gaza, such as when Israel faced Norway and Italy in latest football World Cup qualifiers.
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Posted48 hours prior
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ReleasedAugust 16
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