Violence erupted on Sunday evening at Turner Stadium in Be'er Sheva after fans of the visiting Bnei Sakhnin team disrespected the Israeli National Anthem. Moments before kickoff at a game between Hapoel Be'er Sheva and the team from the Israeli Arab town of Sakhnin, supporters of the home team ran onto the field, charged in the direction of the opposing team's fans, and violently attacked them. As mentioned, the Be'er Sheva fans' violence was sparked by the Sakhnin fans' disrespect for Israel's National Anthem, Hatikva. This was not the first time such an incident had occurred. After disrespecting the anthem three times during the last season, Bnei Sakhnin was hit with only minor fines. On Sunday evening, the club's fans again disgraced their country's anthem, this time turning their back and making crude gestures as it played. Be'er Sheva supporter, enraged by the disrespect, broke onto the pitch and, unhindered, climbed into the opposing supporters' section and violently beat the anti-Israel fans. Police reportedly arrested ten fans during the disturbance. The Bnei Sakhnin club noted that they are unsure if those fans who disrespected the anthem were even their fans and even if they were it was only a handful of fans. Sakhnin club chairman Mohammed Abu Yunis ordered his players to return to the clubhouse and refused to play the game.
