Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Following Violent Riots
The sports venue in the city was covered in haze ahead of the planned start
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The domestic football league local clash featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was abandoned ahead of commencement on the weekend, after what law enforcement characterized as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances".
"Many of smoke grenades and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," authorities stated on social media, emphasizing "this is not a football game, it represents unrest and significant aggression".
A dozen individuals and several officers were injured, police said, while several individuals were taken into custody and numerous others questioned by police.
The disturbances come just a brief period after authorities in the UK said that supporters of the team cannot be permitted to go to the Europa League fixture at Aston Villa in Britain in November because of public safety worries.
One team criticised the match postponement, alleging Israeli police of "getting ready for a battle, not a game", even during talks in the build-up to the highly-anticipated encounter.
"The disturbing incidents around the venue and after the reckless and unacceptable ruling to abandon the fixture only prove that the Israel Police has seized authority in the sport," Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has declined to speak, only acknowledging the match was cancelled.
The decision by security authorities to exclude club followers from the Aston Villa match on the sixth of November has sparked broad condemnation.
The UK government has later announced it is seeking to cancel the ban and considering what further support might be required to ensure the fixture can be hosted safely.
The English club told their security personnel that they did not have to work at the game, saying they recognized that some "could be worried".
On the previous day, local authorities confirmed it endorsed the restriction and designated the fixture as "concerning" based on information and past events.
That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" between Ajax and their supporters before a fixture in the Netherlands in the previous year, when over sixty individuals were arrested.
There have been rallies at several games concerning the conflict in Gaza, for instance when the national team competed against Norway and the European team in latest qualification games.
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Published48 hours prior
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ReleasedAugust 16
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