Tel-Aviv Derby Called Off Following Serious Unrest
The sports venue in Tel Aviv was engulfed by haze prior to the scheduled start
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Issued
The domestic football league rivalry match featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled prior to the start on the weekend, after what authorities described as "civil unrest and violent riots".
"Numerous of smoke bombs and fireworks were launched," Israeli police announced on social media, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a match, this is unrest and major hostilities".
A dozen civilians and multiple law enforcement members were hurt, police said, while nine people were arrested and sixteen questioned by police.
The unrest come just a short time after officials in the UK announced that followers of the club should not be allowed to go to the European competition game at Aston Villa in England the following month because of public safety worries.
One team condemned the match postponement, alleging law enforcement of "getting ready for a war, rather than a sporting event", including during discussions in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited encounter.
"The disturbing situations around the venue and after the irresponsible and scandalous decision to abandon the match only demonstrate that the authorities has taken control of the sport," the club stated officially.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has remained silent, only acknowledging the game was called off.
The ruling by security authorities to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the English fixture on the sixth of November has sparked widespread criticism.
The British authorities has since said it is working to overturn the restriction and investigating what additional resources might be necessary to guarantee the game can be held without incident.
Aston Villa told their matchday stewards that they were not required to attend at the game, stating they acknowledged that some "could be worried".
On Thursday, local authorities confirmed it endorsed the prohibition and classified the fixture as "potentially dangerous" due to intelligence and earlier occurrences.
That included "violent clashes and bigotry-related acts" among the Dutch team and followers prior to a game in Amsterdam in the previous year, when more than 60 people were arrested.
There have been demonstrations at various sporting events regarding the situation in Gaza, including when Israel faced Norway and the European team in current football World Cup qualifiers.
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Additional reports
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Posted48 hours prior
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IssuedMid-August
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