Khaberni - The Israeli police announced, on Sunday, the arrest of 6 fans following violent clashes that erupted between the supporters of the teams, Sakhnin's Sons and Maccabi Haifa, after the end of their match on Saturday evening in Sakhnin city, within the Israeli Football League, which ended in a goalless draw.
The police said in an official statement, "Fans from both clubs were involved in brawls and public order disturbances after the match," noting that two individuals required medical treatment due to injuries incurred during the events.
The statement added that security forces "found fireworks and prohibited tools in possession of some fans inside the stands," confirming that a number of fans were removed from the stadium and fined according to the regulations in place.
Escalating Concerns About Fan Violence in Israel
These incidents come amid heightened security oversight on Israeli football fans since November 2024, when Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were involved in violence before and after the team's match against Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands, which triggered widespread criticism.
This led to Maccabi Tel Aviv fans being banned from attending the team’s match against Aston Villa in the European League last week in Birmingham, amid warnings from the British police about "the possibility of pro-Palestinian protests and riots from the Israeli team's fans."
During that match, which Aston Villa won 2-0 at Villa Park, the area around the stadium witnessed counter-demonstrations between pro-Palestinian supporters and others for Israel, resulting in the arrest of 11 people before the match passed without major disturbances inside the stands.
Background of Local Tensions
In October last year, the Israeli police canceled the derby match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv after violence broke out inside and around the stadium, resulting in 15 people injured—including 3 police officers—and the arrest of 9 fans.
These recurrent incidents indicate a failure of the Israeli sports institutions to control crowd violence, particularly amidst the sharp political and social divide linked to the aggression on Gaza, which in turn reflects on the stadiums.
