Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off After Violent Riots
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was engulfed by haze prior to the planned kick-off
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The Israeli Premier League rivalry match involving one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was called off ahead of kick-off on the weekend, following what law enforcement described as "public disorder and violent riots".
"Dozens of smoke grenades and fireworks were thrown," law enforcement posted on digital channels, adding "this is not a match, this is chaos and major hostilities".
A dozen individuals and multiple officers were injured, officials confirmed, while nine people were detained and 16 questioned by police.
The unrest come just a brief period after representatives in the UK stated that followers of the club ought to be banned to attend the Europa League match at the Birmingham team in the UK the following month because of security issues.
Hapoel Tel Aviv criticised the derby cancellation, accusing authorities of "gearing up for a battle, instead of a football match", particularly during discussions in the build-up to the much-expected fixture.
"The alarming situations outside the arena and following the reckless and outrageous decision not to hold the match only prove that the authorities has assumed command over the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement.
Their rivals has not yet commented, except to confirm the game was called off.
The ruling by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to ban club followers from the Aston Villa match on November 6 has provoked extensive disapproval.
The UK government has since said it is working to overturn the ban and exploring what further support might be required to ensure the fixture can be hosted safely.
The English club told their stadium staff that they did not have to work at the fixture, explaining they acknowledged that some "may have concerns".
On earlier in the week, local authorities said it supported the restriction and categorized the game as "concerning" according to intelligence and previous incidents.
That involved "serious fights and discrimination incidents" among the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to a game in the Dutch capital in November 2024, when more than 60 people were taken into custody.
There have been protests at several games concerning the war in Gaza, such as when Israel competed against Norway and the European team in latest international matches.
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Posted2 days ago
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Released16 August
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