Children Under Horses’ Hooves: Unprecedented Violence Derails Israeli Derby

The cancellation of the Tel Aviv football derby due to riots has sparked widespread anger in Israel, and sharp criticism of the police. Clubs and political opponents exchanged accusations, amid tensions over the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans traveling to England. Attempts are being made to reverse this ban amid growing resentment.

The police’s prevention of the Tel Aviv derby in the local football league on Monday, amid widespread chaos, sparked intense resentment in Israel, sparking grumbling from clubs and criticism from political opponents.
The unfortunate events that accompanied the cancelled match on Sunday between “Maccabi Tel Aviv” and “Hapoel Tel Aviv” sparked tension, due to the restrictions imposed on the travel of “Maccabi Tel Aviv” fans to support their team in the away match against “Aston Villa” of England, in the Europa League competitions scheduled for Thursday, November 6.

The police announced the decision to cancel the Tel Aviv derby, justifying this with what its spokesman described as “undisciplined behavior, riots, throwing projectiles, smoke bombs, fireworks, injuring officers, and damaging the stadium infrastructure,” and told the “Kan” channel, “This is not a football match: it is chaos and extreme violence.”
The police stated that they cancelled the Tel Aviv derby match based on what their media spokesman described as “unruly behavior, unfortunate riots, throwing projectiles, using smoke bombs and fireworks, in addition to injuries among officers and sabotage of sports facilities.” He confirmed in his statement to the “Kan” channel that “what happened has nothing to do with sports, but is pure chaos and unjustified violence.”

Police forces intervened to control the crowds of fans, which numbered 30,000, after orders were issued to evacuate Bloomfield Stadium, which hosts the two teams’ matches.
Immediately, law enforcement forces intervened to control the crowds of fans, which exceeded 30,000 spectators, after instructions were issued to evacuate the stands of Bloomfield Stadium, the stadium that hosts the two teams’ matches.

The police decision and the plan followed angered the management of “Hapoel Tel Aviv” club, which issued a strongly worded statement published on social media, stating: “From the preliminary discussions before the match, it seemed that the police were preparing for a war, not a sporting event.”
This decision and the measures taken by the police angered the management of “Hapoel Tel Aviv” club, which expressed its strong dissatisfaction in an official statement published via social media platforms, confirming that “Through the preparatory meetings that preceded the match, it was clear that the police were preparing for a war confrontation, not to secure a sporting event.”

The statement added: “Everyone saw harsh video clips, children being trampled by horses, and policemen beating fans indiscriminately,” accusing the police of controlling the sport and demanding that the football authorities regain control.
The statement also referred to “the painful video scenes that spread widely, which show children being trampled under the feet of horses, and police officers indiscriminately beating fans,” accusing the police force of trying to control the sport and demanding that the authorities responsible for football regain their powers.

In contrast, “Maccabi Tel Aviv” did not issue a scathing statement, in an attempt to absorb the disputes related to its upcoming match in Birmingham after its fans were not allowed to travel to watch the “Aston Villa” match, for fear of riots, and based on instructions from the Security Advisory Group, the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for each match at “Villa Park” stadium in Birmingham.
In contrast, “Maccabi Tel Aviv” club preferred not to issue any strongly worded statements, in an attempt to calm the atmosphere and reduce the severity of the disputes related to their upcoming match in Birmingham, after the decision to prevent their fans from traveling to watch the “Aston Villa” match, in anticipation of riots, and based on the directives of the Security Advisory Group, which is the body authorized to issue safety certificates for each match held at “Villa Park” stadium in Birmingham.

Opposition leader “Yair Lapid” also exploited the incident to attack National Security Minister “Itamar Ben Gvir,” and wrote on social media, “To the list of failures of the incompetent Minister Itamar Ben Gvir that never ends, has been added tonight the inability to facilitate a football match in the State of Israel.”
Opposition leader “Yair Lapid” did not miss the opportunity to criticize National Security Minister “Itamar Ben Gvir,” as he wrote on his pages on social media: “To the record of failures of the unqualified Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, which does not seem to know an end, is added today his failure to manage and secure a football match in the State of Israel.”

The British government is trying to reverse the ban on “Maccabi Tel Aviv” fans, a decision that has been criticized by Israeli ministers, the European Football Association (UEFA), and British Prime Minister “Keir Starmer,” who stated: “We will not tolerate anti-Semitism in our streets.”

The British government is striving to reverse the decision to ban “Maccabi Tel Aviv” fans, a decision that has sparked widespread resentment and sharp criticism from Israeli ministers, the European Football Association (UEFA), and British Prime Minister “Keir Starmer,” who stated: “We will not allow anti-Semitic manifestations in our streets.”