Tel Aviv Derby Postponed Due to Serious Unrest
The sports venue in the city was filled with smoke before the scheduled start
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The domestic football league derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was cancelled before commencement on Sunday, due to what police labeled as "civil unrest and serious disturbances".
"Many of smoke grenades and flares were launched," Israeli police posted on social media, noting "this cannot be considered a football game, it represents disorder and major hostilities".
A dozen civilians and three police personnel were harmed, officials confirmed, while several individuals were taken into custody and 16 detained for questioning.
The disturbances happen just a short time after authorities in the United Kingdom announced that supporters of the team ought to be banned to be present at the international tournament match at the English club in England the following month because of security issues.
One team criticised the match postponement, alleging authorities of "gearing up for a conflict, instead of a sporting event", particularly during talks in the preparation to the much-expected fixture.
"The alarming situations outside the stadium and after the reckless and scandalous ruling to cancel the game only prove that the law enforcement has taken control of the football," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.
The other team has not yet commented, except to confirm the game was called off.
The decision by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to exclude Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the English fixture on 6 November has sparked widespread criticism.
The British authorities has later announced it is attempting to reverse the restriction and investigating what additional resources might be needed to make certain the match can be conducted securely.
The English club informed their matchday stewards that they could choose not to participate at the match, explaining they acknowledged that some "may have concerns".
On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it backed the restriction and categorized the fixture as "concerning" due to information and earlier occurrences.
That encompassed "serious fights and hate-crime offences" involving Ajax and their supporters prior to a game in the Dutch capital in the previous year, when over sixty individuals were detained.
There have been protests at multiple games regarding the war in Gaza, for instance when the national team faced Norway and the European team in current international matches.
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- Soccer
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Published2 days ago
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ReleasedAugust 16
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