Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Postponed Following Major Disturbances
The sports venue in the city was covered in smoke before the anticipated kick-off
-
Published
The domestic football league local clash involving one local team and their city rivals was abandoned prior to kick-off on the weekend, due to what law enforcement labeled as "civil unrest and major clashes".
"Many of smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices were set off," law enforcement posted on online platforms, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a match, this is chaos and major hostilities".
Twelve people and multiple officers were hurt, police said, while multiple persons were taken into custody and 16 held for interrogation.
The clashes happen just days after officials in the Britain stated that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans should not be allowed to go to the European competition match at the English club in Britain next month because of security issues.
One team condemned the match postponement, accusing authorities of "getting ready for a war, instead of a game", even during meetings in the lead-up to the much-expected match.
"The alarming incidents outside the venue and due to the ill-considered and scandalous ruling to cancel the fixture only demonstrate that the authorities has taken control of the football," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.
The other team has not yet commented, except to confirm the fixture was abandoned.
The decision by the local safety committee to prohibit club followers from the English fixture on 6 November has triggered extensive disapproval.
The British authorities has subsequently stated it is attempting to reverse the prohibition and investigating what extra measures might be needed to ensure the match can be hosted safely.
The English club informed their matchday stewards that they did not have to work at the fixture, stating they understood that some "may have concerns".
On the previous day, law enforcement said it backed the ban and categorized the match as "high risk" according to reports and earlier occurrences.
That encompassed "violent clashes and hate-crime offences" between the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam in the previous year, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody.
There have been demonstrations at multiple athletic competitions concerning the situation in Gaza, for instance when Israel faced the Scandinavian team and the European team in recent international matches.
Related topics
- Football
Further coverage
-
-
Postedrecently
-
-
-
ReleasedMid-August
-
