Tel Aviv Derby Cancelled Due to Major Disturbances
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was filled with haze before the scheduled start
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The domestic football league derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was called off ahead of kick-off on Sunday, following what authorities characterized as "civil unrest and major clashes".
"Dozens of smoke bombs and flares were set off," Israeli police announced on online platforms, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a match, it represents disorder and serious violence".
A dozen people and several police personnel were injured, authorities reported, while nine people were detained and numerous others questioned by police.
The unrest occur just a short time after officials in the United Kingdom said that supporters of the team cannot be permitted to go to the international tournament game at the Birmingham team in England in November because of security issues.
One team censured the derby cancellation, accusing Israeli police of "preparing for a war, rather than a game", even during discussions in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited match.
"The alarming events around the arena and after the ill-considered and unacceptable judgment to abandon the game only prove that the Israel Police has assumed command over the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.
Their rivals has declined to speak, merely stating the game was called off.
The ruling by the local safety committee to exclude the team's supporters from the Aston Villa match on November 6 has triggered extensive disapproval.
The British authorities has subsequently stated it is attempting to reverse the ban and exploring what additional resources might be necessary to guarantee the match can be held without incident.
Aston Villa told their stadium staff that they did not have to work at the fixture, saying they acknowledged that some "might feel uneasy".
On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police confirmed it backed the ban and classified the game as "concerning" according to reports and earlier occurrences.
That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" involving the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of a match in the Netherlands in late 2024, when over sixty individuals were arrested.
There have been demonstrations at several athletic competitions concerning the conflict in Gaza, for instance when the national team competed against the Scandinavian team and Italy in current qualification games.
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Published48 hours prior
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Published16 August
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