Supporters of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv have been banned from attending their team’s Europa League game at English Premier League side Aston Villa next month.
In a statement, Birmingham-based club Villa said they had been informed that local police “had public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and had the capacity to deal with any potential protests on the night.”
West Midlands Police said they had classified the match on 6 November as “high risk” after a “thorough assessment”.
“This decision is based on current intelligence and past incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime crimes that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam,” police said in a statement.
In November 2024, that match in the Netherlands was marred by violent clashes linked to the crisis in the Middle East, with at least five people requiring hospital treatment and resulting in more than 60 arrests.
Amsterdam mayor Famke Halsema said Israeli fans were apparently targeted by “anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads”, while a court later heard about WhatsApp groups with hundreds of members calling for violence against Jews.
On the other hand, videos also circulated showing Maccabi fans – the most fanatical of whom are considered to be on the extreme right of the political spectrum – singing offensive songs about Gaza and Arabs and taking down Palestinian flags.
British Prime Minister Starmer criticized ‘wrong decision’
The decision to ban Maccabi supporters from Birmingham’s Villa Park next month comes amid growing concerns about anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom following an attack on a synagogue in Manchester in early October that left two people dead.
But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Labour Party) has criticized the move, saying: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate anti-Semitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure that all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch (Conservative Party) said the decision was a “national disgrace” and asked: “How did it get to this point?” While Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said it was “shameful”.
The Jewish Leadership Council, which represents some of the largest Jewish organizations in Britain, said “It is perverse that away fans should be banned from football matches because West Midlands Police cannot guarantee their safety.”
But a local member of parliament, pro-Palestinian independent lawmaker Ayub Khan, welcomed the decision, saying that “there was so much hostility and uncertainty surrounding the match” that “it was only right to take drastic measures.”
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign had called for the match to be canceled altogether, writing on social media: “Israeli football teams should not play in international tournaments because they commit genocide and apartheid.”
Could Israeli clubs be banned from European football?
European football’s governing body UEFA was reportedly considering an executive committee vote on suspending Israeli teams from competitions – as Russian teams have been doing since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine – before last week’s ceasefire announcement.
“UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their teams in a safe, secure and welcoming environment, and encourages both teams and the competent authorities to agree on the implementation of the appropriate measures necessary to make this happen,” UEFA said in a statement to the UK broadcaster. sky sports,
“In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions relating to the safety and security of matches taking place in their jurisdictions, with such decisions being determined based on a thorough risk assessment, which varies from match to match and takes into account the preceding circumstances.”
Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv are still winless in the Europa League after a draw with Greek side PAOK and a loss to Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb. On the other hand, Aston Villa has defeated Italian team Bologna and Dutch team Feyenoord and has not conceded a single goal yet.
Edited by: Zack Crellin