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Starmer condemns decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Aston Villa game


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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has led a chorus of political condemnation over the decision to ban fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a Europa League football match in Birmingham next month.

Police and city authorities had made the “wrong decision” to ban fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending the club’s match against Aston Villa on November 6, Starmer said.

“We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets,” Starmer said on social media site X. “The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

West Midlands Police said in a statement on Thursday that it had classified the match as “high risk” following a “thorough assessment”.

“While the Safety Certificate is issued by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police supports the decision . . . based on our professional judgment, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety,” it said.

The police force added that the decision was 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”.

The timing of the decision is sensitive, following a deadly terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester earlier this month.

Protests have become increasingly common at sporting events involving Israeli teams, following two years of conflict in Gaza.

Last week, Italian authorities deployed the army as part of security measures in the city of Udine ahead of Israel’s World Cup qualifying match against Italy. Hundreds of people also protested in Oslo ahead of a game between Israel and Norway last weekend. 

Some people, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, have previously called for Israeli teams to be barred from competing in international sport. That came after protests in Madrid forced the final stage of the La Vuelta cycling race to be cancelled.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans as a “national disgrace”, and challenged Starmer to intervene directly.

“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,” she said on X.

The “Safety Advisory Group” that provides guidance on events in Birmingham includes representatives of Birmingham City Council along with event organisers and emergency services, including the police.

Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, welcomed the decision. He told the BBC: “From the moment that the match was announced, it was clear that there were latent safety risks that even our capable security and police authorities would not be able to fully manage.”

But Sir Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat leader, said: “This is a serious mistake by West Midlands Police. You don’t tackle antisemitism by banning its victims. This decision must be reversed.”

Aston Villa said it was 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”.



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