The Tel Aviv derby between Hapoel and Maccabi was called off on Sunday night after violent clashes between fans and police erupted at Bloomfield Stadium, prompting authorities to intervene over what they cite as "serious risks to human life."

Police reported that dozens of smoke bombs, flares, and pyrotechnic devices were thrown onto the pitch, injuring at least 12 people and three officers. "Disorderly conduct, riots, injured police officers and damage to infrastructure – this is not a soccer game, this is a breach of order and serious violence," the police said in a statement on X.

Nine arrests were made, and 16 others were detained for questioning.

Maccabi Tel Aviv "ultra" fans (MTA Fanatics) roam the streets of Jaffa earlier today, looking for victims to beat up, before the game that was eventually cancelled against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

UK people, do you want this in Birmingham? https://t.co/i3bxeC6S1h pic.twitter.com/rnzN0njlMh

— B.M. (@ireallyhateyou) October 19, 2025

Pattern of fan violence

The derby's cancellation has reignited debate over the behavior of Israeli football fans, particularly those affiliated with Maccabi Tel Aviv, whose violent reputation has extended beyond the occupation. In 2024, Maccabi supporters were involved in a string of incidents during a Europa League match in Amsterdam, where fans clashed with locals and pro-Palestine demonstrators. Videos from that night showed Maccabi fans chanting anti-Arab slogans, tearing down Palestinian flags, and vandalizing property in the Dutch capital.

The disturbances prompted European authorities to reassess security measures around Israeli clubs. Earlier this month, British officials banned Maccabi fans from attending the club's Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham, citing a "high risk of violence" based on "current intelligence and previous incidents."

The ban sparked political tension in the UK, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemning it as "the wrong decision," arguing that "the role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation." But Ayoub Khan, independent MP for Perry Barr, defended the decision, writing on X: "It was never about religion but everything to do about hooligans! These hooligans are not welcome in my constituency!"

A riot broke out between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv fans tonight and the game was called off but anyone who says they don't want this kind of violence in Birmingham is an Antisemite according to Keir Starmer and the Labour Government pic.twitter.com/sgThblCo5B

— Cllr Martin Abrams 🕊️🍉 (@Martin_Abrams) October 19, 2025

Heavy policing, societal tensions

Sunday's confrontation laid bare the rot at the heart of Israeli football, and, by extension, the wider society that sustains it. What was meant to be a match between two city rivals instead descended into a spectacle of violence and fanaticism. Police forces, armed and aggressive, stormed Bloomfield Stadium.

Witnesses and Hapoel supporters recounted how riot units provoked the chaos by sealing gates, firing tear gas, and beating fans before kickoff. Their actions, many said, reflected intimidation.

A police officer accidentally ran over a child fan of Hapoel during riots outside Bloomfield Stadium. pic.twitter.com/myxF8RjBud

— Netanel Worthy - נתנאל וורתי (@NetanelWorthy) October 19, 2025

Adding to the disturbing picture were resurfaced videos of Maccabi Tel Aviv's extremist fan faction, whose chants abroad glorified sexual violence and called for the persecution of rivals. This subculture of hatred, tolerated for years, exposes a deranged normalization of brutality that mirrors the broader ethos of domination entrenched in Israeli politics.

"The Rape Song"

Here's another Maccabi Tel Aviv fan song, from the last time Maccabi Tel Aviv fans visited The Netherlands. It's a hate song against the team's biggest rival in Israel, Hapoel Tel Aviv (who's considered a "leftist" team).

The name of the song, according to the… https://t.co/dWly491hPO pic.twitter.com/pSN3XsWj6O

— B.M. (@ireallyhateyou) November 9, 2024

Maccabi's management, aligning with the police narrative, issued only a sterile note: "Following the police's decision, it was determined that the Tel Aviv derby will not take place tonight."

Read more: Calls for Spain to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv from competing in Madrid