Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Cancelled Following Major Disturbances
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was covered in smoke before the scheduled beginning
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The Israeli Premier League local clash featuring one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned before commencement on Sunday, following what police described as "civil unrest and serious disturbances".
"Numerous of smoke grenades and flares were thrown," authorities posted on online platforms, emphasizing "this isn't a sporting event, this is disorder and major hostilities".
A dozen people and three officers were injured, authorities reported, while nine people were detained and sixteen held for interrogation.
The disturbances come just days after officials in the UK announced that followers of the club should not be allowed to attend the international tournament fixture at the English club in England the following month because of safety concerns.
Hapoel Tel Aviv condemned the derby cancellation, alleging law enforcement of "gearing up for a conflict, not a game", including during talks in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited encounter.
"The shocking situations near the stadium and following the reckless and scandalous ruling not to hold the fixture only show that the Israel Police has assumed command over the football," the club stated officially.
The other team has remained silent, only acknowledging the match was cancelled.
The ruling by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to prohibit the team's supporters from the Birmingham game on 6 November has sparked broad condemnation.
The UK government has later announced it is attempting to reverse the ban and considering what further support might be required to make certain the match can be conducted securely.
The English club informed their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the match, explaining they recognized that some "may have concerns".
On Thursday, law enforcement said it endorsed the ban and categorized the match as "potentially dangerous" according to intelligence and earlier occurrences.
That encompassed "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" between Ajax and followers before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024, when more than 60 people were detained.
There have been rallies at multiple sporting events concerning the situation in Gaza, such as when Israel faced Norway and Italy in latest international matches.
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PublishedAugust 16
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