Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Following Serious Unrest
Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was covered in haze ahead of the scheduled start
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The Israeli Premier League local clash involving one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled before kick-off on the weekend, due to what police characterized as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances".
"Many of smoke devices and fireworks were set off," Israeli police stated on digital channels, adding "this is not a football game, this is unrest and major hostilities".
Twelve people and multiple police personnel were hurt, officials confirmed, while several individuals were taken into custody and 16 questioned by police.
The unrest occur just a brief period after authorities in the Britain announced that supporters of the team cannot be permitted to go to the international tournament fixture at Aston Villa in Britain the following month because of security issues.
One team censured the match postponement, alleging Israeli police of "gearing up for a conflict, instead of a football match", including during meetings in the build-up to the highly-anticipated fixture.
"The alarming incidents outside the venue and following the irresponsible and outrageous decision to cancel the fixture only prove that the Israel Police has seized authority in the football," the club said in a statement.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has declined to speak, merely stating the fixture was abandoned.
The ruling by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to exclude the team's supporters from the English fixture on the sixth of November has provoked broad condemnation.
The UK government has later announced it is seeking to cancel the restriction and exploring what additional resources might be needed to make certain the match can be held without incident.
The English club informed their matchday stewards that they could choose not to participate at the game, saying they understood that some "might feel uneasy".
On the previous day, local authorities said it endorsed the ban and classified the fixture as "concerning" based on reports and previous incidents.
That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" among Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to a fixture in the Dutch capital in the previous year, when more than 60 people were taken into custody.
There have been demonstrations at various athletic competitions concerning the conflict in Gaza, including when Israel competed against Norway and Italy in current qualification games.
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Issued16 August
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