Dozens of people were injured after hooligans threw flares and smoke bombs at a city football derby in Tel Aviv, Israeli authorities said.
A match between city rivals Hapoel and Maccabi was scheduled to take place on Sunday at Bloomfield Stadium, but was interrupted and eventually canceled due to security concerns, police said.
According to a police statement, a small group of fans came with the intention of causing a riot and threw dozens of flares and smoke bombs onto the field.
The incidents injured 42 people, including five police officers. Police detained dozens of people, 11 of whom were brought before the court, while the rest were released under restrictive measures.
Footage released by the AP shows the pitch shrouded in pink and grey smoke and the sound of flares being fired. At one point, a smoke-emitting object falls into the stands, causing panic among spectators.
Maccabi Tel Aviv announced that the match was canceled due to pyrotechnics thrown by Hapoel fans, not visiting Maccabi fans.
Hapoel called the decision to stop the game "scandalous" and "hasty" on social media, claiming that most of the injuries occurred during the police intervention. A club spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The riots come just days after a controversial decision by British authorities to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from traveling to the United Kingdom for a Europa League match against Aston Villa due to security concerns.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the decision.
Earlier this year, a league match between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv was stopped at halftime after fans of the home team threw flares at the players.
Last year, Israeli fans were attacked in Amsterdam after a match between Maccabi and Ajax. Five people were hospitalized and dozens were arrested. The incidents were condemned as anti-Semitic by authorities in Amsterdam, Israel and across Europe.
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