Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Due to Violent Riots
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was engulfed by haze prior to the scheduled beginning
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The Israeli Premier League rivalry match featuring one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled ahead of commencement on the weekend, after what authorities characterized as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances".
"Dozens of smoke bombs and fireworks were launched," authorities stated on digital channels, noting "this is not a football game, it represents unrest and serious violence".
Twelve individuals and several law enforcement members were hurt, officials confirmed, while multiple persons were detained and sixteen questioned by police.
The disturbances happen just a short time after officials in the United Kingdom said that supporters of the team should not be allowed to go to the European competition match at Aston Villa in Britain next month because of public safety worries.
Hapoel Tel Aviv criticised the match postponement, alleging authorities of "gearing up for a conflict, instead of a game", including during talks in the preparation to the highly-anticipated match.
"The disturbing incidents around the venue and after the irresponsible and unacceptable decision not to hold the fixture only demonstrate that the Israel Police has assumed command over the sport," Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet commented, merely stating the game was called off.
The decision by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to prohibit the team's supporters from the English fixture on November 6 has triggered widespread criticism.
The UK government has later announced it is seeking to cancel the ban and investigating what additional resources might be necessary to ensure the fixture can be held without incident.
The English club notified their stadium staff that they were not required to attend at the match, stating they recognized that some "could be worried".
On Thursday, law enforcement said it backed the prohibition and designated the fixture as "potentially dangerous" according to reports and past events.
That involved "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of a game in the Netherlands in November 2024, when more than 60 people were taken into custody.
There have been rallies at various games concerning the conflict in Gaza, for instance when the national team competed against the Scandinavian team and the European team in current qualification games.
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PublishedMid-August
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