UK police say Maccabi Tel Aviv fans banned from Aston Villa match over hooliganism, not threats

LONDON: West Midlands Police have said their decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the club’s Europa League fixture against Aston Villa on Thursday was based on intelligence suggesting “significant levels of hooliganism” among a section of the Israeli club’s fan base, rather than concerns about threats to Israeli fans.

Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce told Sky News that the move, which drew criticism from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and several MPs, was taken solely on safety grounds following an assessment of risks surrounding the match.

The decision to exclude Israeli fans was criticized by government figures, with some describing it as antisemitic and suggesting it effectively turned parts of Birmingham into a “no-go zone” for Israelis. The Home Affairs Committee subsequently requested an explanation from police regarding the decision-making process.

“We are simply trying to make decisions based on community safety, driven by the intelligence that was available to us and our assessment of the risk that was coming from admitting traveling fans,” Joyce said.

He added: “I’m aware there’s a lot of commentary around the threat to the (Maccabi) fans being the reason for the decision. To be clear, that was not the primary driver. That was a consideration. We have intelligence and information that says there is a section of Maccabi fans — not all, but a section — who engage in quite significant levels of hooliganism.”

Joyce said previous incidents involving Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, including unrest before a match against Ajax in Amsterdam last year, informed the force’s risk assessment ahead of the Europa League fixture in Birmingham.

“What is probably quite unique in these circumstances is