Tel Aviv Derby Cancelled Following Serious Unrest
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was filled with haze prior to the scheduled beginning
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Published
The Israeli Premier League local clash featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was called off ahead of kick-off on Sunday, after what police described as "crowd trouble and violent riots".
"Dozens of smoke grenades and flares were set off," authorities posted on social media, noting "this is not a sporting event, it represents disorder and serious violence".
A dozen people and multiple law enforcement members were hurt, police said, while nine people were detained and sixteen detained for questioning.
The disturbances happen just days after representatives in the UK announced that supporters of the team should not be allowed to be present at the Europa League game at the Birmingham team in England the following month because of security issues.
Hapoel Tel Aviv condemned the game abandonment, accusing law enforcement of "getting ready for a war, rather than a sporting event", even during talks in the lead-up to the much-expected encounter.
"The alarming events outside the stadium and following the irresponsible and outrageous judgment not to hold the game only show that the authorities has taken control of the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.
Their rivals has not yet commented, except to confirm the game was called off.
The ruling by the local safety committee to ban club followers from the Birmingham game on the sixth of November has provoked widespread criticism.
The UK government has since said it is seeking to cancel the restriction and exploring what additional resources might be required to make certain the fixture can be hosted safely.
The English club notified their matchday stewards that they were not required to attend at the match, explaining they acknowledged that some "might feel uneasy".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it supported the ban and designated the game as "high risk" according to reports and earlier occurrences.
That involved "violent clashes and bigotry-related acts" among the Dutch team and followers prior to a game in the Netherlands in the previous year, when numerous persons were taken into custody.
There have been demonstrations at various athletic competitions over the war in Gaza, such as when the national team played Norway and the European team in latest qualification games.
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Published2 days ago
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Released16 August
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