Bloomfield Stadium Tel Aviv: Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi and Hapoel cancelled due to 'public disorder and violent riots'
The Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled after "public disorder and violent riots".
Twelve civilians and three officers were injured, police said, while nine people were arrested and 16 detained for questioning. The derby was cancelled just before kick-off on Sunday (19 October).
"Dozens of smoke grenades and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," Israeli police posted on X, adding "this is not a football game, this is disorder and serious violence". The unrest comes just days after officials in the UK said that Maccabi fans should not be allowed to attend the Europa League match at Aston Villa in England next month because of safety concerns.
Hapoel Tel Aviv criticised the derby cancellation, accusing Israeli police of "preparing for a war, not a sporting event", including during discussions in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated match. "The shocking events outside the stadium and following the reckless and scandalous decision not to hold the match only demonstrate that the Israel Police has taken control of the sport," Hapoel said in a statement on X.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet commented, except to confirm the match was cancelled. The decision by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match on 6 November has sparked widespread criticism.
The UK government has since said it is working to overturn the ban and exploring what additional resources might be required to ensure the fixture can be hosted safely. On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it supported the ban and classified the fixture as "high risk" based on intelligence and previous incidents.