Anti-Israel protests force Spanish basketball teams to ban fans as security fears mount

Two nonrecreational hoops games successful Spain against an Israeli squad this week are acceptable to beryllium played without fans, having been deemed "high-risk" owed to information concerns amid anti-Israel protests.

Real Madrid C.F. said successful a connection that its EuroLeague crippled against Maccabi Tel Aviv connected Thursday "will beryllium played down closed doors," and the squad is "complying with the proposal made by the National Police."

Real Madrid said that it met with the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance successful Sport regarding the contest, and tickets volition beryllium refunded (season summons holders volition person their refunds credited toward their renewal adjacent season).

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Maccabi's Cuban guardant Jasiel Rivero dribbles downcourt challenged by Barcelona's Czech defender Tomas Satoransky (L) during the Euroleague hoops lucifer betwixt FC Barcelona and Maccabi Tel-Aviv astatine the Palau Blaugrana arena successful Barcelona connected Feb. 5, 2025. (Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images)

Maccabi Tel Aviv volition beryllium playing Barcelona connected Tuesday without a assemblage arsenic well, with Barcelona besides citing the crippled arsenic "high-risk." That announcement was made past month.

Reuters noted that Israeli teams successful the league were playing location games astatine neutral sites from October 2023 until past period owed to protests implicit the Israel-Palestine conflict. Maccabi Tel Aviv is connected the roadworthy successful Spain for some contests. Maccabi Tel Aviv returned location successful December aft playing location games earlier successful the play successful Serbia.

According to the Times of Israel, much than 250 organizations person "demanded" Thursday's crippled beryllium suspended.

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans observe their team’s 118–74 triumph implicit Skipper Bologna successful the 2004 Euroleague Final Four last connected May 1, 2004, successful Tel Aviv, Israel. (David Silverman/Getty Images)

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Maccabi is acceptable to instrumentality location connected Jan. 11 against their in-country rival, Hapoel Jerusalem, connected Sunday, according to its schedule. They played a location crippled connected Sunday, an 89-64 triumph implicit Hapoel Haemek, besides successful Israel.

Israeli teams were acceptable to instrumentality to their location arenas pursuing the ceasefire betwixt Israel and Hamas overseen by President Donald Trump. As portion of the ceasefire, Hamas released the remaining 20 surviving hostages held successful Gaza, portion Israel released astir 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump arsenic the "greatest friend" Israel has ever had.

A protagonist wears an Israeli emblem connected his shoulders extracurricular the Adidas Arena earlier a Euroleague hoops lucifer betwixt Paris Basketball and Maccabi Tel-Aviv, successful Paris, connected Jan. 16, 2025.  (Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP via Getty Images)

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Netanyahu announced that helium nominated Trump to beryllium the archetypal non-Israeli recipient of the Israel Prize, which helium described arsenic the nation’s "highest award."

Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

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