Israel’s president says he’ll award the Beitar Jerusalem soccer group the State Cup at his official residence after a chaotic scene by followers disrupted the unique trophy ceremony
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, heart, is surrounded by safety on the sphere as followers of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer membership rushed the sphere after their group received the State Cup finals in Haifa, Israel, Tuesday, Could 23, 20230. Hundreds of Beitar Jerusalem supporters charged the pitch earlier than the trophy ceremony after the group’s 3-0 victory in opposition to Maccabi Netanya. (AP Picture/Alain Schieber)
The Related Press
JERUSALEM — Israel’s president stated Wednesday he would belatedly current the Beitar Jerusalem soccer group the State Cup at his official residence, after ecstatic followers disrupted the unique ceremony and compelled him off the sphere following the membership’s victory.
Hundreds of Beitar Jerusalem supporters charged the pitch after the group’s 3-0 win in opposition to Maccabi Netanya on Tuesday night, earlier than the trophy ceremony. Some members burned the nets within the objectives to take items as mementos and made off with medals supposed for the gamers, in keeping with Israeli public radio Kan.
Herzog, who was by the stage the place Beitar gamers had been to be given the trophy, was rushed off the sphere, surrounded by his safety element.
Herzog expressed dismay in a press release Wednesday, saying that followers “blew up the joyous event in order that the trophy couldn’t be awarded.”
Police stated that 18 individuals had been arrested on varied fees associated to coming into the sphere.
It remained to be seen whether or not any disciplinary motion could be taken by Israel’s Soccer Affiliation in opposition to Beitar Jerusalem. The president’s workplace stated that following a request from the affiliation, Beitar Jerusalem’s gamers could be given the trophy at a ceremony at Herzog’s residence later Wednesday.
The theme of the ceremony will now be “condemning and battling violence in sports activities.”
Beitar Jerusalem’s hard-core followers have a historical past of racist chants and rowdy conduct, and the group is the one one in Israel’s skilled leagues by no means to have signed an Arab participant.