Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have been banned from attending a Europa League clash against Aston Villa next month after an urgent recommendation from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), a club statement has confirmed.
SAG informed Villa that no fans of the Israeli club will be at Villa Park for the game, scheduled for November 6, due to “previous incidents including violent clashes and hate crime offences”.
A statement on Villa’s website read: “Aston Villa can confirm the club has been informed that no away fans may attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6, following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group.
“The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) are responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors.
“Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and Uefa to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture.
“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.
“The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.”
Birmingham’s population is around 30 per cent muslim, according to a 2021 census, and often hosts large pro-Palestine protests.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have been banned from attending their Europa League clash against Aston Villa next month, a club statement has confirmed
|PA
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch took to social media branding the decision a “national disgrace”.
She continued: “How have things come to this?
“[Kier] Starmer pledged that Jews are welcome and safe in Britain. That he stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community and will use the full force of his government to prove it.
“Will he back those words with action and guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country? If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.”
Aston Villa have won both of their Europa League fixtures so far
|PA
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp also condemned the announcement: “The decision to ban Macca Tel Aviv fans is sickening and wrong. Giving in to antisemitism is weak and immoral.
“The police should make our streets safe for everyone - not capitulate to mob threats and punish the victims.
“This is a day of shame for both the West Midlands and its police force.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "Last week I was attacked for pointing out that parts of Birmingham were a failure of integration.
“But now Israeli football fans are banned from watching their team play at Villa Park as the police can’t guarantee their safety. Maybe I wasn’t wrong after all.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans staged huge demonstrations amid their fixture against Ajax last year
|GETTY
Israel's Foreign Minister demanded UK authorities reverse decision, calling it “cowardly”.
West Midlands Police, who advised the SAG of their concerns, confirmed the ban, citing previous incidents with fans as a major factor.
“West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending,” a spokesman said.
“This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
“Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety.
“We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”
The match between Ajax and Tel Aviv, which took place last November, saw a huge levels of violence between home and the travelling support.
West Midlands Police cited violence during last November's clash between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv as a reason to ban travelling supporters from Villa Park
|GETTY
Before the game, police confirmed that some Tel Aviv fans had attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire the day before a match, leading to an additional 800 police officers being placed on duty for the match.
After the match, which finished 5-0 to Ajax, some Israeli fans were subject to “outbursts of violence” that saw five hospitalised and 62 arrested.
There have been calls to ban Israel’s teams from international and Uefa competitions amid the widespread criticism of the war with Hamas.
During the recent international break, there was further unrest.
Ahead of Israel's fixture against Italy, 10,000 protesters took to the streets with banners demanding authorities “show Israel the red card”, in other words, exclude them from international tournaments.
After the game, 50 pro-Palestine protesters wearing face coverings clashed with officers, who were forced to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter