Israeli football team Maccabi Haifa’s game against French side Lille had to be stopped after pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the pitch.
Supporters of reportedly Turkish origin ran onto the field in the Austrian stadium where the game was played and headed for the Maccabi players, sparking ugly scenes.
One of the players is seen to trip a fan before punches were thrown. The Maccabi players – some of whom retaliated – managed to leave the field unhurt.
The incident comes amid fears of growing anti-Semitism in Europe at time when Israeli forces are locked in a violent conflict with militant group Hamas in Gaza.
There was rioting in Paris at the weekend when a synagogue and Jewish-owned businesses were attacked during a pro-Palestinian rally.
Meanwhile, murderous slogans dating back to the days of Hitler have been chanted at similar events in Germany.
The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Yakov Hadas-Handelsman, said this week: ‘They pursue the Jews in the streets of Berlin… as if we were in 1938.’
During the football match fight yesterday, banners calling for the liberation of Palestine were displayed by certain sections of the crowd.
The referee was forced to stop the game in the 86th minute before eventually bringing the game to an end early.
Israel is currently engaged in hostilities with Hamas, a militant group that runs the Gaza Strip.
Last month UEFA announced that Israeli clubs could not host European matches due to the ‘unrest’ in Israel
Mailonline
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