The CEO of Maccabi Haifa Itzik Ovadia, today (Tuesday), sent a sharp letter to the Central District Commander of the police, Superintendent Avi Biton, following the serious events that took place in the stands and outside the stadium during the Greens' 0:2 victory over Maccabi Netanya.
"What happened in the stands last night is an unusual event in its intensity, scope and goes beyond any accepted norm of managing a sports event in Israel and in Europe. Unfortunately, the personal security of thousands of soccer fans in Israel has been undermined and violated, and we as a society are unable to measure the future serious consequences for soccer fans in Israel. It is important to note that a club Maccabi Haifa strongly condemns violence and we at the club do a lot to prevent violence of any kind, including violence against the police or the various security forces."
"Approximately 7,000 fans of the team arrived last night from all over the country to accompany the team, this, with the aim of encouraging the team and being part of the great atmosphere and the great color. Unfortunately, the testimonies we received show a very disturbing picture of the conduct of the police, which began immediately after the start of the game. The testimonies are accompanied by videos , photos, testimonies of parents, small and many uninvolved children, because it appears that the police acted aggressively, with a lack of judgment and violence towards fans, in a way that we do not remember on the football fields."
Later it was written that the fans, who were partners in the Champions League games abroad as well, did not encounter police involvement in the stands in Turin, Paris or Lisbon.
"Last night's incident began immediately after the start of the game, when for a reason that we do not understand, an aggressive and violent police force came to the Mizrachi stand (completely contrary to the procedures in all stadiums in Israel), which led to a dangerous and violent incident with dozens of casualties. Unfortunately, in last night's game, difficult decisions were made that led to serious professional errors and injuries It is difficult, physically and mentally for thousands of soccer fans in Israel and unfortunately, it seems, without exercising sufficient judgment."
At the end, Ovadia raised a number of points about which he and the club require answers and reference regarding them:
1) Was there an extreme incident recorded in the fans' stands, which necessitated the introduction of police officers into the stands and in fact thereby created friction with the crowd and led to an event that got out of control?
2) Was it justified to use such aggressive measures, such as tear gas and stun grenades, inside and outside the stadium?
3) Did the decision to enter the stand and use excessive force go through the entire chain of command?
4) Why was it necessary to disperse the fans again with the use of smoke grenades, in the dispersion after the game?
5) In your opinion, at the conclusion of the event, did you succeed in your mission to keep the peace of the football fans?
In conclusion, it is written that "in order to prevent the recurrence of such cases in the future and in order to restore the confidence of football fans in the Israel Police, I demand by virtue of my position to carry out an in-depth investigation in view of the serious events and reflect its conclusions to the fan public. I would appreciate your professional attention."
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