Tel Aviv Derby Cancelled Due to Serious Unrest
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was filled with smoke before the scheduled beginning
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Issued
The Israeli Premier League rivalry match involving Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was cancelled prior to the start on Sunday, due to what authorities labeled as "crowd trouble and major clashes".
"Numerous of smoke bombs and flares were thrown," Israeli police posted on online platforms, emphasizing "this isn't a football game, it constitutes disorder and major hostilities".
A dozen civilians and three police personnel were hurt, officials confirmed, while nine people were taken into custody and 16 held for interrogation.
The clashes happen just a short time after representatives in the UK stated that supporters of the team should not be allowed to attend the Europa League match at the Birmingham team in England next month because of safety concerns.
One team censured the derby cancellation, claiming law enforcement of "getting ready for a battle, not a sporting event", particularly during discussions in the preparation to the highly-anticipated fixture.
"The alarming incidents outside the venue and after the irresponsible and unacceptable judgment to cancel the fixture only prove that the Israel Police has taken control of the game," the team announced publicly.
Their rivals has remained silent, only acknowledging the match was cancelled.
The judgment by security authorities to prohibit club followers from the English fixture on 6 November has provoked broad condemnation.
The government officials has later announced it is attempting to reverse the restriction and investigating what additional resources might be necessary to ensure the fixture can be held without incident.
Villa told their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the fixture, saying they acknowledged that some "may have concerns".
On the previous day, local authorities confirmed it backed the restriction and categorized the game as "potentially dangerous" based on intelligence and previous incidents.
That included "physical confrontations and discrimination incidents" involving the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of a match in Amsterdam in late 2024, when numerous persons were taken into custody.
There have been demonstrations at multiple athletic competitions over the situation in Gaza, such as when the national team faced Norway and Italy in current football World Cup qualifiers.
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