London, MINA – West Midlands Police in the UK have banned supporters of the Israeli club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, from attending their UEFA Europa League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park Stadium on November 6th.
The decision was made after police assessed the match as high-risk due to security concerns and the club’s supporters’ history of violence.
Aston Villa confirmed on Friday that the Birmingham Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the body responsible for issuing match safety certificates, had instructed that no visiting team supporters be allowed to attend. The club affirmed that the safety of spectators and the local community is the top priority in every decision.
The police explained that the measure was taken to reduce risk to public safety, referring to incidents of violence, crime, and hate that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Netherlands.
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At that time, Maccabi supporters were reportedly burning Palestinian flags, damaging vehicles, and shouting anti-Palestinian slogans before the match began. Clashes resulted in dozens of injuries and 62 arrests.
The ban has sparked political debate in the UK. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the decision wrong, arguing that “we won’t tolerate antisemitism on our streets, and it is the police’s job to ensure all football fans can enjoy a match without fear.”
Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the ban as a national disgrace and called on the government to intervene.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also labeled the decision shameful and demanded the UK revoke it.
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Nevertheless, the police affirmed that the ban is purely a preventative measure and is not related to political issues.
“We remain committed to supporting all affected communities and reaffirming a zero-tolerance stance towards hate crime in any form,” read the official statement from West Midlands Police.
This step is being taken amid rising tensions in Europe due to the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has triggered various demonstrations and counteractions across several countries.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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