British police deployed around 700 officers in the city of Birmingham on Thursday ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa League football match against Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans are not attending the game, but police are still anticipating protests in support of both Palestinians and Israelis after a controversial and uncertain few weeks in the run-up to the game as the supporter situation is resolved.
West Midlands Police said there would be a large police presence in the center of Birmingham, Britain’s second-largest city and home to a large Muslim population, and around the stadium, which is located in a residential area near dozens of homes.
Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce said, “We know there will be protests by a variety of groups on the day, and we have plans in place that balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham.”
“People not attending the event should expect significant disruption to the roads in the area throughout the evening, and we would urge people to avoid the area where possible,” he said.
Why are there no Maccabi fans coming to the match?
The original decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from traveling was not made by Aston Villa or European football’s governing body, UEFA, or the British government, but by local authorities in the West Midlands.
He cited advice from police services and attributed the decision to a combination of current intelligence on potential threats and past incidents elsewhere.
However, the decision was sharply criticized and shortly afterwards British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would reverse the decision and facilitate fans watching the game remotely.
However, soon after, Maccabi Tel Aviv said it would not accept any tickets for its supporters, saying it had become concerned for their safety in Birmingham. However, some supporters were seen outside the stadium on the match day.
Amsterdam postponement last year, Tel Aviv postponement last month
Maccabi supporters have gained prestige in Israel and Europe.
The match against Ajax in Amsterdam last November led to a relatively serious diplomatic incident between Israel and the Netherlands.
Following reports of Maccabi fans chanting anti-Arab slogans, destroying Palestinian flags, and causing other disruptions in the city, some Amsterdam residents chased and attacked some of the team’s supporters.
The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arranged a flight to bring the fans home and sharply criticized their treatment.
More recently, Israeli authorities also postponed last month’s city derby between Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv after riots and violence in the stands during preparation for the game.
Villa in strong position, Maccabi struggling near the halfway stage
The match is the fourth out of eight for both clubs in the league stage of the competition.
Aston Villa are currently in a good position to reach the knockout stages, with two wins and one loss so far in the competition as they sit 12th in the standings.
Maccabi, meanwhile, have drawn one game and lost two, leaving them third from bottom in the table ahead of Thursday’s match.
Edited by: Zack Crellin