Birmingham: More than 700 police officers were deployed across Birmingham as protests were planned for a football match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa, with visiting Israeli fans prohibited from attending.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the UK government had previously vowed to reverse the ban on Maccabi fans attending the Europa League match in the city, which has a significant Muslim population. This decision came after widespread criticism from local safety advisors and police. However, Maccabi Tel Aviv later announced its decision to decline any tickets for its fans, citing safety concerns.
Aston Villa stated they would not sell tickets for the vacant away section of their Villa Park stadium. Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city, has been the site of regular pro-Palestinian rallies over the past two years. Local police reported that protests by different groups were scheduled near Villa Park, including a pro-Palestinian demonstration demanding Israel’s exclusion from international football. A pro-Israeli group also organized a Maccabi Solidarity Rally, with both protests set to begin around 6:00 pm, two hours before the match.
West Midlands Police stated, “We are experienced at policing high-profile football matches and demonstrations, and for many weeks now, we have been working closely with different faith and local community groups to listen to their views and concerns.” Videos on social media showed signs near the stadium reading “no war games allowed” and “Zionists not welcome,” while far-right channels led by Tommy Robinson made Islamophobic statements about the match and planned protests.
The police classified the fixture as “high risk,” citing past “violent clashes and hate crime offences” during a Europa League match in Amsterdam between Maccabi and Ajax. That game led to two days of clashes between locals and Israeli fans in the Dutch city. Maccabi Tel Aviv’s decision to turn down tickets came after Israeli police canceled a match between Maccabi and city rivals Hapoel due to “riots” between rival fans. The team insisted its supporters were not involved in the unrest and criticized “hate-filled falsehoods” about its fans for creating a “toxic atmosphere.”
Aston Villa urged supporters not to display political symbols during the match, a practice banned under UEFA protocols. Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for the area covering Villa Park, noted the “large concentration of Muslims” in the local area who expressed fears about racism.