The Home Office was told last week that supporters of Israel\u2019s Maccabi Tel Aviv could be barred from a Europa League match at Aston Villa, police have revealed, as a major row over the ban escalated.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir Starmer will do \u201ceverything in his power\u201d to overturn the ban, according his spokesperson, after he condemned the move as the \u201cwrong decision\u201d in a major government intervention.<\/p>\n
News that Israeli fans would not be able to attend the club\u2019s fixture in Birmingham on 6 November due to fears of violence has been met with outrage from Jewish communities. <\/p>\n
The move by council leaders in Birmingham was branded a \u201cnational disgrace\u201d by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and a \u201cshameful decision\u201d by Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar.<\/p>\n
The government is now expecting West Midlands Police to come forward with proposals for what resources it would need for all fans to attend the football match safely, The Independent understands, ahead of a council Safety Advisory Group (SAG) meeting next week. <\/p>\n
However, ministers face fresh questions after it emerged the Home Office was briefed about the safety fears \u2013 and possible restrictions on fans visiting Villa Park \u2013 as early as last week by specialists from the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU).<\/p>\n
Senior officers at the unit backed the ban, saying it was \u201cimportant that we respect and support the structures in place for making these decisions\u201d.<\/p>\n
The decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv\u2019s fans from their match with Aston Villa has been met with outrage from Jewish communities (AP)Ms Badenoch said the home secretary had \u201cserious questions to answer\u201d for not taking immediate action, adding: \u201cThis is a weak government that fails to act when required.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we learn the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, knew Jewish football fans were being banned from a UK stadium, and did nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
West Midlands Police said they had classified the Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture as high risk based on \u201ccurrent intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Uefa Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam\u201d.<\/p>\n
Violent clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli fans erupted around the Europa League match between Dutch club Ajax and Maccabi in Amsterdam last year.<\/p>\n
Five men were given prison sentences and more than 60 people were detained in the riots, which prompted accusations of deliberate antisemitic attacks.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir and his top ministers were pulling out all the stops to \u201cfind a way through\u201d that would allow travelling Maccabi fans to attend the game, his spokesman said.<\/p>\n
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer blasted the ban as the \u2018wrong decision\u2019 (PA Wire)However, Birmingham City Council insisted the decision to ban Maccabi fans would not be reviewed unless there was a change in the risk assessment provided by West Midlands Police.<\/p>\n
In an update on Friday evening, a council spokesperson said: \u201cThe Safety Advisory Group has made a decision based on a risk assessment provided by West Midlands Police.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is a change in the assessment of risk in the forthcoming match between Aston Villa Football Club and Maccabi Tel Aviv, then the Safety Advisory Group will commit to review its decision as appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conversations aimed at overturning the ban include Home Office offers of support to police in Birmingham, and a phone call between communities secretary Steve Reed and Birmingham City Council.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, culture secretary Lisa Nandy is \u201cmeeting officials to discuss what more can be done to try to find a way through to resolve this, and what more can be done to allow fans to attend the game safely\u201d, a No 10 spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
The prime minister was left \u201cangered by the decision\u201d, his spokesperson said, adding: \u201cWhile of course this is an operational decision, we are perfectly entitled to speak out on fundamental principles of fairness like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sir Keir first slammed the decision in a post on X, formerly Twitter, adding: \u201cWe will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv holding flags at Dam Square ahead of the 2024 match in Amsterdam which erupted in violence on both sides (ANP\/AFP\/Getty)West Midlands police and crime commissioner Simon Foster was among those to call for an \u201cimmediate review\u201d of the ban.<\/p>\n
Uefa, which runs the Europa League, also urged UK authorities to make sure Maccabi Tel Aviv fans could attend the match in Birmingham.<\/p>\n
Emily Damari, a British-Israeli who was held captive by Hamas for more than a year before being released in January, and who supports football teams Maccabi Tel Aviv and Tottenham Hotspur, said the decision to ban Israeli fans attending a match against Aston Villa was \u201coutrageous\u201d.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI am shocked to my core with this outrageous decision to ban me, my family and my friends from attending an Aston Villa game in the UK.<\/p>\n
\u201cFootball is a way of bringing people together irrespective of their faith, colour or religion, and this disgusting decision does the exact opposite.<\/p>\n
\u201cShame on you. I hope you come to your senses and reconsider.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maccabi Tel Aviv\u2019s fans at the end of their Europa League match against PAOK in Thessaloniki, Greece in September (AP)West Midlands Police said while the decision on whether to issue a safety certificate rests with Birmingham City Council, it supports the decision to ban Israeli fans \u2013 citing the previous clashes in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n
Social media videos of the team\u2019s 2024 fixture against Ajax showed Maccabi fans setting off flares and fireworks and chanting in Hebrew \u201col\u00e9, ol\u00e9, let the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] win, we will f*** the Arabs\u201d.<\/p>\n
There were also reports of Maccabi fans chanting that there were \u201cno children\u201d left in Gaza. Maccabi fans were subject to \u201chit and run\u201d attacks, with four rioters given short jail terms over the violence.<\/p>\n
A government spokesperson said: \u201cNo one should be stopped from watching a football game simply because of who they are.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government is working with policing and other partners to do everything in our power to ensure this game can safely go ahead, with all fans present.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are exploring what additional resources and support are required so all fans can attend.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Home Office was told last week that supporters of Israel\u2019s Maccabi Tel Aviv could be barred from a Europa League match at Aston Villa, police have revealed, as a major row over the ban escalated. Sir Keir Starmer will do \u201ceverything in his power\u201d to overturn the ban, according his spokesperson, after he condemned […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4971,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n