Security guards arrest Israeli fans at the end of the Fifa World Cup 2018 qualification match between Israel and Spain at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, on October 8, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Israeli police dismissed on Tuesday local media reports that a pitch invader who ran towards Spanish attacker Isco at a World Cup qualifier in Jerusalem was carrying a knife.
Israeli news website Ynet cited security officials in the stadium as saying six fans entered the field as the game was ending late Monday, with one of them carrying a small knife in his sock.
He approached the Real Madrid star but did not threaten to attack him, before being arrested, the report said.
Other Israeli media reported the allegation, but police and football officials denied it.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri told AFP no knife was found inside the stadium.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories
A spokesman for the Israeli Football Association confirmed a fan ran toward Isco but said “no knife has been found.”
Security guards arrest Israeli fans at the end of the Fifa World Cup 2018 qualification match between Israel and Spain at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, on October 8, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Spain won the game 1-0 to finish five points clear at the top of their group and qualify for next summer’s World Cup.
Asier Illarramendi scored the only goal of the match, a spectacular 75th minute volley, ensuring Spain finished the group unbeaten with nine wins and a draw.
Advertisement
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
