Maccabi Tel Aviv v Hapoel Tel Aviv called off by police after ‘violent riots’
Hapoel Tel Aviv criticized the derby’s cancellation, accusing Israeli police of “preparing for war, not a sporting event”, including the controversy ahead of the highly anticipated match.
“Following the shocking events outside the stadium and the reckless and scandalous decision not to hold the match, it shows that the Israeli Police have taken control of the sport,” Hapoel Tel Aviv said. He said the following in his statement about X:, external.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has yet to comment other than to confirm that the game has been cancelled.
The decision by the Birmingham Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the match against Aston Villa on 6 November has sparked widespread criticism.
The UK government has since said it is working to lift the ban and is investigating what additional resources may be required to ensure the fixture can be hosted safely.
Villa told matchday officials that they did not have to work the match and that they understood some “may have concerns”.
On Thursday West Midlands Police said it supported the ban and classified the premises as “high risk”, based on intelligence and previous incidents.
This included “violent clashes and hate crime attacks” between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of a match in Amsterdam in November 2024, for which more than 60 people were arrested.
Protests have been held at various sporting events related to the war in Gaza, including Israel’s match against Norway and Italy in the last World Cup qualifiers.
