By DANIELLA MATAR, Related Press
UDINE, Italy (AP) — Snipers have been on the roof of the Israel crew lodge in Udine and the Italian metropolis is on most alert forward of a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
The Israel crew bus was escorted to the stadium by 13 police automobiles, together with some from the particular forces, and a number of other motorbikes.
The sound of helicopters surveilling town has stuffed the air for the reason that morning, hours earlier than Italy’s match against Israel was set to kick off at Stadio Friuli. Drones may be noticed within the sky.
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Cops patrol exterior the Fruili Lodge the place the Israeli nationwide crew is staying, forward of a World Cup 2026, Group I qualifying soccer match between Italy and Israel on the Friuli Stadium in Udine, Italy, Tuesday, Oct.14, 2025. (AP Photograph/Luca Bruno)
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Cops patrol exterior the Fruili Lodge the place the Israeli nationwide crew is staying, forward of a World Cup 2026, Group I qualifying soccer match between Italy and Israel on the Friuli Stadium in Udine, Italy, Tuesday, Oct.14, 2025. (AP Photograph/Luca Bruno)
The match has been positioned within the highest danger class regardless of a breakthrough ceasefire deal that has paused two years of struggle in Gaza.
Within the metropolis heart, round 10,000 folks attended a pro-Palestinian march, which stayed incident free for practically three hours earlier than arriving at its remaining cease. Then about 50 folks — with their faces lined — began clashing with police, who used water cannons to try to disperse them.
Many retailers and eating places determined to not open on Tuesday and there are strict guidelines for people who did — together with the elimination of any outside furnishings or different objects that would probably be used as weapons.
There will even be snipers on the roof of the sector in addition to a hefty police and army presence.
Italy additionally performed Israel a 12 months in the past in Udine, which was chosen due to the relative issue of reaching town in north-east Italy, close to the Slovenian border, and the benefit of isolating the stadium, the place street blocks have been arrange throughout.
The realm has been declared a “pink zone,” and solely followers with tickets can cross by means of the tall steel obstacles. Supporters have been strongly suggested to reach early due to rigorous checks, with everybody having to cross by means of steel detectors, too.
Simply over 9,000 tickets have been offered for the qualifier at 25,000-seat Stadio Friuli and there are more likely to be fewer folks contained in the stadium than on the demonstration.
There was additionally a pro-Palestine demonstration final 12 months earlier than the match, however that drew solely round 1,000 protesters.
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