Tel-Aviv Derby Postponed After Serious Unrest
The sports venue in the city was engulfed by smoke before the planned start
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The domestic football league rivalry match featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned prior to kick-off on Sunday, following what authorities described as "crowd trouble and major clashes".
"Numerous of smoke grenades and pyrotechnic devices were launched," law enforcement posted on online platforms, adding "this is not a football game, this is unrest and serious violence".
Twelve people and several police personnel were injured, police said, while multiple persons were taken into custody and numerous others questioned by police.
The unrest happen just a short time after authorities in the UK stated that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans cannot be permitted to be present at the international tournament game at Aston Villa in the UK next month because of safety concerns.
The local club condemned the derby cancellation, alleging Israeli police of "preparing for a battle, instead of a football match", including during talks in the build-up to the highly-anticipated match.
"The alarming situations near the arena and following the ill-considered and outrageous ruling not to hold the game only show that the authorities has assumed command over the game," the club announced publicly.
The other team has not yet commented, only acknowledging the fixture was abandoned.
The ruling by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to prohibit the team's supporters from the English fixture on November 6 has triggered broad condemnation.
The government officials has since said it is working to overturn the ban and exploring what further support might be needed to ensure the match can be hosted safely.
Aston Villa told their security personnel that they did not have to work at the game, explaining they understood that some "may have concerns".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it supported the prohibition and categorized the fixture as "potentially dangerous" according to intelligence and earlier occurrences.
That included "physical confrontations and bigotry-related acts" among the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a fixture in the Netherlands in November 2024, when numerous persons were arrested.
There have been protests at various athletic competitions regarding the war in Gaza, including when the national team played Norway and the European team in current qualification games.
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Published16 August
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