Rival soccer fans fight at TA courthouse after on-field fracas

Another altercation between rival soccer fans broke out Tuesday, this time at a Tel Aviv courthouse, just a day after a shirtless fan attacked a player on the field at a match in Tel Aviv and sparked a melee between spectators, stadium security and players.

Elroy Yadi, the fan who attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Eran Zahavi on Monday night, was remanded for three days by a Tel Aviv Magistrates Court, where police said that rival soccer club fans engaged in another altercation.

Hapoel Tel Aviv’s management announced Tuesday that it had permanently banned Yadi and called on police to prosecute him, Israel Radio reported.

Twelve people were arrested following the on-field fracas, including Yadi and the son of Hadash MK Dov Khenin. Earlier on Tuesday Khenin spoke out against the violence at the Tel Aviv soccer game, saying that “as a soccer fan for many years it’s important to me that there be tolerance on the pitch.”

“I reject outright any use of violence in Israeli sports,” he said.

The scuffle began in the 33rd minute of the match between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv Monday, as the shirtless Hapoel Tel Aviv fan ran onto the field and began hitting and kicking Zahavi.

Zahavi defended himself and the two men exchanged blows for several moments before security dragged the fan away.

The referee, acting according to the rules of the game that prohibit players from being involved in violence on the pitch, then issued Zahavi a red card, sparking a further outburst from players and fans.

As Zahavi argued the call, a number of fans ran onto the field and began exchanging blows, prompting officials to call off the game and leave it as a 1-1 tie.