Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: No away fans allowed at Villa Park for Europa League match | Football news

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticized the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Europa League next month.

The Security Advisory Group (SAG) has informed Aston Villa that no traveling fans will be allowed at Villa Park after the event was classified as ‘high risk’.

West Midlands Police said the decision to ban fans was “based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes which occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam”.

Dutch police arrested 62 people in the Dutch capital after unrest surrounding the match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

“This is the wrong decision,” Starmer said in a statement.

“We will not tolerate anti-Semitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure that all football fans can enjoy the match, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

West Midlands Police stands firm on its decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from Villa Park and said it would not respond to the Prime Minister’s criticism.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We are committed to fair and impartial policing, while balancing the public’s right to protest with our duty to ensure public safety.

“Following a thorough assessment, we have classified the upcoming Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match as high risk.

“Although the safety certificate is issued by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police supports the decision to ban absent supporters from attending.

“This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.”

The force said that, based on officers’ professional judgment, it believed the measure would help mitigate risks to public safety.

“We remain steadfast in our support for all affected communities and reaffirm our stance of zero tolerance towards hate crime in all its forms,” the police spokesperson added.

Earlier on Thursday, a statement from Aston Villa read: “Aston Villa can confirm that the club has been informed that no away fans will be able to attend the UEFA Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday 6 November, following an instruction from the Security Advisory Group.

“The Safety Advisory Group is responsible for issuing safety certificates for each match at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors.

“Following a meeting [on Thursday] This afternoon, SAG officially wrote to the club and UEFA to inform them that no away fans will be allowed to attend Villa Park for this match.

“West Midlands Police informed SAG that they had public safety concerns outside the stadium and were able to deal with possible protests overnight.

“The club is in ongoing dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of fans attending the match and that of local residents at the forefront of any decisions.”

The Jewish Leadership Council, which works to protect British Jews, criticized the decision to block Israeli fans from traveling to Birmingham.

In an article on X, he said it was “perverse that away fans are banned from a football match because West Midlands Police cannot guarantee their safety”.

He added: “Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors.”

Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said he welcomed the news that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans “would not be allowed to watch the match at Aston Villa”.

There was “so much hostility and uncertainty around the match” that it was “right to take drastic action”, he said.

A statement from UEFA to Aerial sports said: “UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their team in a safe, secure and welcoming environment, and encourages both teams and the relevant authorities to agree on the implementation of the appropriate measures necessary to enable this to happen.

“In all cases, the relevant local authorities remain responsible for decisions relating to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory, with these decisions being determined on the basis of in-depth risk assessments, which vary from match to match and take into consideration previous circumstances.”