Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Due to Serious Unrest
Bloomfield Stadium in the city was covered in haze ahead of the planned start
-
Released
The Israeli Premier League local clash featuring one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned prior to kick-off on Sunday, due to what law enforcement described as "crowd trouble and major clashes".
"Many of smoke devices and pyrotechnic devices were set off," Israeli police stated on digital channels, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a football game, it constitutes unrest and serious violence".
Twelve people and multiple officers were injured, police said, while several individuals were detained and numerous others questioned by police.
The disturbances come just days after authorities in the United Kingdom announced that supporters of the team should not be allowed to attend the international tournament match at the Birmingham team in the UK in November because of public safety worries.
One team condemned the game abandonment, alleging Israeli police of "gearing up for a conflict, not a sporting event", even during talks in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated match.
"The shocking events around the venue and after the irresponsible and scandalous decision to cancel the fixture only show that the law enforcement has taken control of the game," the club stated officially.
Their rivals has declined to speak, merely stating the game was called off.
The ruling by security authorities to prohibit the team's supporters from the English fixture on the sixth of November has sparked broad condemnation.
The UK government has since said it is attempting to reverse the prohibition and exploring what additional resources might be required to guarantee the game can be hosted safely.
Villa told their stadium staff that they did not have to work at the game, saying they recognized that some "might feel uneasy".
On earlier in the week, local authorities stated it supported the prohibition and designated the fixture as "concerning" due to information and past events.
That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" involving Ajax and followers before a game in Amsterdam in late 2024, when more than 60 people were taken into custody.
There have been demonstrations at various athletic competitions over the conflict in Gaza, for instance when the national team faced Norway and the European team in recent football World Cup qualifiers.
Related topics
- Soccer
Additional reports
-
-
Published2 days ago
-
-
-
PublishedAugust 16
-