A plot to smuggle a chicken into a football stadium in a backpack ended with an Israeli and a chicken being arrested before a match on Saturday, KAN News reported.
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Football Club superfan Yehuda Goher, a self-proclaimed "chicken king," claims in an interview to KAN that he has been taking his chicken Rambo to Bnei Yehuda games across the country for 41 years.
However, before Saturday's State Cup matchup with city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv, Goher's friend was arrested at the turnstiles of their shared stadium Bloomfield for attempting to sneak Rambo inside his backpack.
"The club's former owner didn't allow Rambo to enter the stadium and we didn't contact the current owners about policy," Goher told KAN.
Goher's friend was sent to house arrest and brought before a judge on Sunday, while Rambo the chicken is still held by Israel Police, yet to return to his loving owner.
Goher's chickens have a unique history with Bnei Yehuda as the club's unofficial mascots.
Rambo, a sixth-generation Bnei Yehuda mascot, is "the team's 12th man," Goher, 61-years-old, said. "He's loving, he loves the fans, the television, the entire world...He does not bite and he does not cause any trouble."
Goher said the tradition of bringing a chicken to Bnei Yehuda games began 41 years ago, when he, along with other fans decided the club needed a good luck charm.
"We slaughtered a lamb, brought rabbis, nothing helped," Goher recalled. After attempting some more rituals, chickens were agreed upon as the mascot and Goher never looked back.