Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Postponed Following Serious Unrest
Bloomfield Stadium in the city was filled with haze prior to the scheduled start
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The domestic football league local clash between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled before kick-off on Sunday, due to what police described as "public disorder and violent riots".
"Many of smoke devices and fireworks were set off," law enforcement posted on digital channels, noting "this cannot be considered a match, it represents disorder and major hostilities".
A dozen people and multiple officers were harmed, officials confirmed, while several individuals were arrested and numerous others questioned by police.
The clashes occur just a short time after authorities in the United Kingdom stated that supporters of the team should not be allowed to go to the international tournament fixture at Aston Villa in England the following month because of public safety worries.
The local club condemned the derby cancellation, claiming authorities of "preparing for a battle, instead of a sporting event", particularly during meetings in the preparation to the much-expected match.
"The shocking incidents outside the stadium and following the ill-considered and outrageous ruling to cancel the game only prove that the Israel Police has assumed command over the sport," the team stated officially.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has remained silent, merely stating the fixture was abandoned.
The decision by the local safety committee to exclude the team's supporters from the English fixture on the sixth of November has provoked extensive disapproval.
The British authorities has later announced it is seeking to cancel the ban and investigating what additional resources might be necessary to make certain the fixture can be hosted safely.
Aston Villa informed their stadium staff that they did not have to work at the game, saying they understood that some "may have concerns".
On Thursday, law enforcement said it backed the ban and classified the match as "potentially dangerous" based on intelligence and past events.
That involved "physical confrontations and bigotry-related acts" among the Dutch team and their supporters ahead of a game in the Netherlands in November 2024, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody.
There have been protests at various games regarding the conflict in Gaza, for instance when the national team faced Norway and the European team in recent qualification games.
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Released48 hours prior
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IssuedMid-August
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