Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Postponed Following Serious Unrest
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was engulfed by haze prior to the scheduled beginning
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The domestic football league local clash featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was cancelled before commencement on Sunday, following what authorities characterized as "crowd trouble and major clashes".
"Dozens of smoke devices and fireworks were launched," law enforcement announced on social media, adding "this isn't a sporting event, it constitutes chaos and significant aggression".
A dozen individuals and three police personnel were hurt, police said, while multiple persons were taken into custody and 16 detained for questioning.
The clashes happen just a brief period after authorities in the United Kingdom announced that followers of the club cannot be permitted to be present at the Europa League fixture at the Birmingham team in Britain next month because of safety concerns.
The local club criticised the derby cancellation, accusing authorities of "preparing for a battle, rather than a game", including during talks in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated encounter.
"The shocking situations outside the venue and after the irresponsible and scandalous decision to cancel the game only show that the authorities has seized authority in the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has remained silent, except to confirm the match was cancelled.
The decision by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to exclude club followers from the Birmingham game on 6 November has triggered broad condemnation.
The British authorities has since said it is working to overturn the ban and investigating what additional resources might be necessary to guarantee the game can be hosted safely.
The English club told their stadium staff that they were not required to attend at the game, saying they recognized that some "might feel uneasy".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it backed the ban and classified the game as "concerning" due to information and previous incidents.
That encompassed "physical confrontations and hate-crime offences" between the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to a game in the Dutch capital in late 2024, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody.
There have been demonstrations at various sporting events over the conflict in Gaza, including when the national team faced the Scandinavian team and the European team in recent qualification games.
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Posted2 days ago
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PublishedAugust 16
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