Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Postponed Following Major Disturbances
Bloomfield Stadium in the city was covered in smoke ahead of the scheduled kick-off
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The Israeli Premier League derby featuring one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled before commencement on the weekend, after what police characterized as "civil unrest and major clashes".
"Numerous of smoke bombs and flares were set off," authorities announced on digital channels, adding "this isn't a football game, it constitutes unrest and major hostilities".
A dozen individuals and multiple law enforcement members were harmed, police said, while nine people were arrested and 16 detained for questioning.
The clashes occur just days after officials in the Britain said that followers of the club should not be allowed to go to the Europa League match at the English club in England next month because of security issues.
One team criticised the derby cancellation, alleging Israeli police of "gearing up for a war, not a game", even during talks in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated match.
"The shocking events near the venue and following the reckless and unacceptable judgment to cancel the game only show that the Israel Police has taken control of the sport," Hapoel Tel Aviv announced publicly.
Their rivals has not yet commented, except to confirm the match was cancelled.
The decision by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to ban the team's supporters from the Birmingham game on the sixth of November has sparked extensive disapproval.
The UK government has since said it is attempting to reverse the restriction and considering what extra measures might be required to guarantee the game can be held without incident.
Aston Villa notified their matchday stewards that they were not required to attend at the fixture, saying they acknowledged that some "might feel uneasy".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it backed the ban and classified the match as "concerning" due to intelligence and earlier occurrences.
That involved "serious fights and bigotry-related acts" between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a game in the Dutch capital in November 2024, when more than 60 people were taken into custody.
There have been protests at various games concerning the conflict in Gaza, including when Israel faced Norway and Italy in latest football World Cup qualifiers.
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Posted48 hours prior
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Released16 August
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