Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Following Major Disturbances
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was engulfed by smoke prior to the scheduled kick-off
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The domestic football league rivalry match featuring one local team and their city rivals was abandoned ahead of the start on Sunday, following what authorities labeled as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances".
"Many of smoke grenades and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," law enforcement posted on social media, adding "this is not a match, it represents unrest and major hostilities".
Twelve individuals and three officers were harmed, authorities reported, while multiple persons were taken into custody and sixteen questioned by police.
The disturbances occur just a short time after representatives in the Britain stated that supporters of the team ought to be banned to be present at the international tournament fixture at the Birmingham team in Britain in November because of public safety worries.
One team condemned the match postponement, accusing Israeli police of "gearing up for a battle, rather than a football match", including during meetings in the preparation to the eagerly-awaited fixture.
"The shocking events near the arena and due to the ill-considered and outrageous ruling to cancel the game only demonstrate that the law enforcement has taken control of the game," the team stated officially.
The other team has remained silent, merely stating the fixture was abandoned.
The judgment by security authorities to ban the team's supporters from the Aston Villa match on November 6 has sparked widespread criticism.
The British authorities has since said it is working to overturn the prohibition and considering what extra measures might be needed to ensure the fixture can be held without incident.
Villa told their stadium staff that they were not required to attend at the fixture, explaining they acknowledged that some "may have concerns".
On Thursday, local authorities stated it supported the ban and designated the match as "potentially dangerous" due to information and past events.
That encompassed "violent clashes and bigotry-related acts" between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of a match in Amsterdam in late 2024, when numerous persons were arrested.
There have been demonstrations at several games over the war in Gaza, for instance when Israel played the Scandinavian team and the European team in current football World Cup qualifiers.
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Additional reports
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Released2 days ago
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Issued16 August
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