Eleven arrests, fireworks thrown and ‘death to IDF’ chants mar Aston Villa win

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Eleven people were arrested amid highly-charged scenes outside Aston Villa’s powder-keg match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Hundreds of largely pro-Palestine campaigners descended on Villa Park, with police expecting five separate protests to take place before the Europa League match.

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Pro-Israel groups were angered by incendiary chants and placards outside the stadium and some were seen being moved away by police officers when displaying Star of David flags outside the stadium.

However, despite chants of “death to the IDF”, fears of major clashes were kept at bay by a 700-strong police presence around the ground.

Shortly before the match got under way, West Midlands Police confirmed six arrests – including three accused of racially-aggravated offences – had been made. They included a 21-year-old for “failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask”, a 17-year-old for “failing to comply with a dispersal order”, three people “for racially aggravated public order offences” and one for “a breach of the peace,” officers said. Police later confirmed that a further five arrests were made on the night, two more for racially-aggravated offences, a 21-year-old man for trying to throw fireworks into the ground and a 63-year-old man heard shouting racist abuse during a road rage incident near Villa Park. Another man was detained on suspicion of drug offences.

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A huge police operation – seven times the size of a normal European night at Villa Park – swung into action on Thursday night. Dogs, horses and drones were all drafted in, despite a ban on Maccabi fans attending. Police confirmed for the first time that hooligan fears among Maccabi’s supporters rather than their safety had been the primary reason for advising the local council against issuing an away fan licence for the match.

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving flags and banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza. Telegraph Sport witnessed one fan carrying an Israeli flag facing abuse from the protesters.

Amid highly-charged scenes in Birmingham, there were also counter protests from pro-Israeli groups, who were contained elsewhere. Flatbed vehicles also drove past showing electronic messages opposing anti-Semitism. One message, beside a Star of David, read “Ban hatred not fans”.

Jewish and British pro-Israeli protesters were furious with police after they were placed in a caged basketball court next to the stadium as they staged a demonstration against the ban on Maccabi fans. The fury among the protesters stemmed from their claims that pro-Palestinian demonstrators were allowed to roam the streets, and Josh Howie, a British, Jewish GB News presenter, described the location as a “Jew cage”.

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Nationalist campaigners also showed up as expected. Chants of “Tommy, Tommy Robinson” were heard in response to pro-Palestine chants.

However, in the ground itself, the atmosphere was relatively quiet, with many empty seats on display even in the home sections.

The ban on Maccabi fans was led by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group following intelligence from West Midlands Police.

The decision prompted a national outcry, became the focus of parliamentary debate and led to MPs questioning officers about the decision.

Maccabi later announced it would decline any away tickets for the clash after the Government said it was “working around the clock” to ensure fans from both sides could attend.

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Campaign group Palestine Solidarity Campaign led some of the protests at the match, having first assembled at 6pm at Aston Park Pavilion, a short distance from Villa Park.

Maatsen and Malen help Villa cruise to win over Maccabi

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A goal in either half from Dutch duo Ian Maatsen and Donyell Malen allowed Aston Villa to coast to a 2-0 Europa League victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv and boost their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages automatically.

At the halfway point in the league phase they aresixth in the table, with games against Young Boys, Basel, Fenerbahce and Salzburg still to come.

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They did not have it all their own way at Villa Park, though, and could easily have been behind when Osher Davida’s shot was deflected just wide.

After Morgan Rogers almost scored a wonder goal by dancing into the penalty area, Maccabi missed an even bigger chance to go ahead. Skipper Dor Peretz will have nightmares about how he managed to shoot straight at Emiliano Martínez from inside the six-yard box when he had an empty net to aim from after Roy Revivo’s cutback.

That proved costly as Villa went ahead on the stroke of half-time when Maatsen scored from an acute angle, his left-foot shot crashing in off the crossbar after good link-up play with Rogers and Jadon Sancho.

Another golden chance went begging in the 55th minute as Peretz was wasteful again after he shot straight at Martínez from Helio Varela’s pull-back.

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Four minutes later Malen converted from the penalty spot after England defender Ezri Konsa had been pulled back by Elad Madmon.

Zarko Lazetic, the manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv, later hit out at plans that required his players to arrive five hours early for the match.

“We had to arrive five hours early,” complained Lazetic after the defeat. “Sitting, nothing to do. It was very difficult. This wasn’t our decision.”

Unai Emery, the Villa head coach, meanwhile refused to be drawn on the clashes, answering “I respect everything, but I only know about the football” before a club press officer prevented any further questions about the trouble.

10:15pm

Steve Sidwell on TNT Sports

“Job done. The first half was a little bit lacklustre, and that could have been down to the changes and personnel on the pitch, but they dug deep. They knew they had to create a moment of brilliance, and that came with the first goal.

“Positives to come from the game. All in all, the manager will be delighted to get the win. Improvements in the performance, but all round a great night for Villa.”

10:10pm

Aston Villa’s Europa League fixture list

Matchday 1: Aston Villa 1 v Bologna 0
Matchday 2: Feyenoord 0 Aston Villa 2
Matchday 3: Go Ahead Eagles 2 Aston Villa 1
Matchday 4: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0
Matchday 5: Aston Villa v BSC Young Boys – Thursday, November 27 (ko 5.45pm)
Matchday 6: FC Basel v Aston Villa – Thursday, December 11 (ko 8pm)
Matchday 7: Fenerbahçe SK v Aston Villa – Thursday, January 22 (ko 5.45pm)
Matchday 8: Aston Villa v RB Salzburg – Thursday, January 29 (ko 8pm)

10:08pm

Aston Villa’s next five games

November 9: Aston Villa vs Bournemouth (Premier League)
November 23: Leeds vs Aston Villa (Premier League)
November 27: Aston Villa vs Young Boys (Europa League)
November 30: Aston Villa vs Wolves (Premier League)
December 3: Brighton vs Aston Villa (Premier League)

10:06pm

Ian Maatsen speaking to TNT Sports

10:05pm

FT stats

Possession: Aston Villa 66%-34% Maccabi
Shots: 13-6
Shots on target: 8-3
Corners: 3-1
Touches in opposition box: 33-15

09:59pm

Full time

There is the final whistle and Aston Villa win it 2-0 courtesy of goals from two Dutchman; Maatsen and Malen. Aston Villa make it three wins from four in the competition so far, Maccabi still yet to register a victory.

09:54pm

90 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

There will be six added minutes.

09:52pm

88 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Aston Villa are comfortable here but the last thing they want to do is gift Maccabi a goal through risky passing at the back and making it a nervy ending.

09:44pm

80 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

McGinn’s cross from the right is cleared by Mishpati straight into his teammate Shlomo. The ball then rolls towards the line and Shlomo puts his body on the line to clear it off the line. The offside flag though has gone up anyway against McGinn.

09:41pm

78 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Two changes from the visitors as Nicolaescu and Andrade replace Varela and Peretz, who has missed a couple of glorious chances for Maccabi tonight.

09:40pm

76 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Nearly a third for Villa. Tielemans plays a lovely ball in behind from the halfway line to pick out the run of Malen down the right channel. Malen’s shot is well-saved by Mishpati’s outstretched arm.

09:38pm

75 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Triple change for the home side as Buendia, Tielemans and McGinn all come on. Guessand, Onana and Sancho make way. Tielemans is back after a 10-game absence. Villa captain McGinn has just signed a new contract at the club and is already being serenaded by the home fans.

09:38pm

74 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Sissokho plays a ball to the far post, where Jehezkel beats Maatsen to the header but puts his effort wide.

09:36pm

72 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Aston Villa are lucky there. Martinez gifts away possession inside his own box with a loose pass but he is able to smother the cross as it comes across the six-yard box. Martinez is barking at some of his teammates but he only has himself to blame for a terrible decision and pass.

09:27pm

63 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Unai Emery makes his first changes of the night as Watkins and Kamara replace Rogers and Torres.

09:25pm

60 mins: Aston Villa 2 Maccabi 0

Double change for the visitors as Jehezkel and Shahar replace Davida and Noy.

09:22pm

GOAL! Malen doubles Villa’s lead from the spot

Mishpati guesses the right way but Malen puts it right into the bottom left corner. That feels like game, set and match.

09:21pm

PENALTY ASTON VILLA!

Konsa goes down inside the Maccabi box under a challenge from Madmon. The referee took a long time to give it and then points to the spot. Looking at the replays, that is never a penalty and should be overturned.

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However, after a lengthy check, the referee sticks by his decision. Interesting. Very, very soft.

Malen will take…

09:19pm

56 mins: Aston Villa 1 Maccabi 0

Peretz had one big chance in the first half and he has another in the second. The ball is played across to him from the left side of the box and, after taking one touch, shoots from the penalty spot but is denied by Martinez.

Down the other end, Malen has a shot from a narrow angle saved by Mishpati.

09:17pm

54 mins: Aston Villa 1 Maccabi 0

With it being a head/ neck injury, the medical staff are taking no risks and taking their time. Mishpati is now back to his feet.

09:15pm

51 mins: Aston Villa 1 Maccabi 0

Madmon commits a silly foul, pushing Konsa in the back, and Villa now have the chance to send this free-kick into the Maccabi box.

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They actually take it short and Maatsen shoots from range. Mishpati spills the ball and it comes out to Malen, just four yards out from the goal, but the Villa forward puts his effort wide of the post. Mishpati has stayed down after taking a blow to the head/ neck trying to block Malen’s shot.

09:11pm

47 mins: Aston Villa 1 Maccabi 0

Maccabi were happy to sit deep in their shape in the first half and nearly got to half-time level. Will they immediately try to be more expansive or will they wait a little longer before coming out a bit more?

09:08pm

Second half

We are back under way at Villa Park.

08:58pm

HT stats

Possession: Aston Villa 64%-36% Maccabi
Shots: 7-4
Shots on target: 4-2
Corners: 1-1
Touches in opposition box: 24-7

08:52pm

Half-time

Konsa has a late chance from a free-kick but blazes his effort high and wide.

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The first half comes to an end and Villa lead 1-0 at the break thanks to that Maatsen goal on the stroke of half-time.

08:50pm

GOAL! Maatsen gives Villa lead on stroke of half-time

It is a great finish from the Dutchman a minute into added time at the end of this first half. Rogers plays the ball forward to meet the run of Maatsen, who gets to it just before the byline and gets the shot away first time. It beats the goalkeeper, comes off the underside of the bar and goes in. Terrific from Maatsen but should the Maccabi keeper be beaten from that angle?

08:49pm

45 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

There will be three added minutes at the end of this first half, due to Camara’s injury early in the half.

08:44pm

39 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Maccabi should be ahead. Revivo is played through into the left side of the penalty area and he squares it for Peretz, who should bury the chance but somehow hits it straight at Martinez. It was harder to miss that chance to score.

08:42pm

38 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Sissokho is the second man into the book for Maccabi tonight as he brings down Bogarde not far outside the box.

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Rogers plays the free-kick into Sancho, who gets to the ball just before the byline and flashes a ball across the six-yard box but it is headed away.

08:41pm

36 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Maatsen’s cross from the left side of the box is not cleared and the ball comes to Malen. From a narrow angle, he gets his shot away but Mishpati gets across to make the save.

08:40pm

35 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Nearly for the home side. Rogers dribbles his way into the Maccabi box and past a number of defenders. He manages to keep control of the ball all the way until the shot but it gets stuck under him a touch and the shot hits the keeper’s legs.

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Moments later he has a shot from the left corner of the box that goes just over.

08:36pm

32 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

No matter what the noises being made by the crowd are, you are in no doubt as to who they are coming from with no away fans in attendance. It is safe to say the home fans are not too pleased with their side nor the time Maccabi are taking over throw-ins.

08:33pm

29 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Moments after Noy’s poor delivery from the free-kick, he is into the book for a foul on Rogers inside the Maccabi half as Rogers drove forward.

08:32pm

28 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Lindelof brings down Varela down Maccabi’s left, giving the visitors the chance to send it into the Villa box. It is very quiet inside Villa Park right now. Noy takes but it is too loopy and an easy catch for Martinez.

08:29pm

24 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Big chance for the visitors and the home fans are not happy with their side. They take plenty of risks deep in their own half and Sancho is the one to gift away possession. The ball is then played into the feet of Davida on the right side of the box. He looked to be offside but was being played on. He cuts inside onto his left foot and his shot is deflected, spinning just wide of the far post. Just a matter of days ago, Aston Villa were punished for loose passing deep inside their own half against Liverpool when Martinez gave the ball away and Mohamed Salah punished him by scoring the first of two goals in a 2-0 win for Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend.

08:26pm

21 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

08:24pm

20 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Sancho plays the ball forward into the feet of Malen on the left side of the box. Malen cuts inside and gets his shot away but it takes a deflection and goes just wide.

08:23pm

18 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

There has been a distinct lack of rhythm in this match so far as it has been pretty stop-start, which will suit the visitors.

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Was that a chance for the visitors? The ball is lifted in behind the Villa defence and Madmon looks like he should get to it ahead of Martinez, who had come rushing out of his box, but the Villa keeper wins the header and is then fouled. Had Madmon really committed to that, he would have got to the ball first and then Martinez would have had a big decision to make.

08:17pm

13 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Camara has gone down again and it appears his night is going to be ended by that knock to his side. Heitor is the man who will replace Camara at the heart of Maccabi’s defence.

08:14pm

10 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Play has been halted as Maccabi centre-back Camara is down clutching at his side after a heavy collision with Malen. Camara went in strongly and won the ball but ended up getting heavy contact to his side. He is now back to his feet and fine to continue for now at least.

08:11pm

6 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

First foray forward for the visitors. The ball is played down the right channel into the path of Davida, who spots Varela in space on the left. He cuts inside onto his right foot and gets his shot away from the edge of the box but his effort is blocked by Konsa.

08:10pm

5 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

As expected, Aston Villa are dominating possession and Maccabi are happy as it stands to sit in their shape and counter.

08:06pm

2 mins: Aston Villa 0 Maccabi 0

Aston Villa steal possession inside the Maccabi half and Onana attempts a through ball to Rogers. Shlomo though is on hand for the visitors to crucially slide in to cut out the pass. Had the ball made it Rogers he would have been one-on-one.

08:04pm

Kick-off

We are under way at Villa Park.

07:58pm

Teams

Aston Villa: Martinez, Lindelof, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Onana, Sancho, Rogers, Guessand, Malen.
Substitutes: Bizot, Oakley, Cash, Barkley, McGinn, Tielemans, Elliott, Buendia, Watkins, Digne, Kamara, Broggio.

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Maccabi Tel-Aviv: Mishpati, Asante, Shlomo, Camara, Revivo, Madmon, Sissokho, Noy, Varela, Peretz, Davida. 
Substitutes: Gerafi, Melika, Heitor, Andrade, Jehezkel, Gropper, Ben Harush, Lederman, Abu Farkhi, Shahar, Ben Hamo, Nicolaescu.

07:46pm

Further information on those arrests

At least six people have been arrested by West Midlands Police, including a teenage boy.

West Midlands Police have confirmed that a 17-year-old boy is among the six people arrested for failing to comply with a dispersal order.

A 21-year-old has been arrested for failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask.

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Three people have been arrested for racially aggravated public order offences and one person for a breach of the peace.

07:44pm

Update from West Midlands Police

07:43pm

“It is not about politics, it is about football”

From PA: 

Villa supporter Adam Selway arrived for the match wearing a half-and-half scarf in the colours of the home side and Maccabi Tel Aviv. The 48-year-old said he was not making any political statement, felt sympathy with fans unable to attend and simply wanted to watch a football match. “It’s not about politics, it’s about football,” he said. “It’s not the Villa fans that don’t want anyone here – the Villa fans want the away fans here.”

07:41pm

Unrest outside Villa Park

Tensions are running high with just 20 minutes to go until kick-off, with plenty of police present.

07:28pm

“Jew cage”

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Among the speakers at the pro-Israeli demonstration was British Jew Josh Howie. He described where the protest was located as a “Jew cage”.

Here is the response from the West Midlands Police:

We met at length with organisers of the pro-Israeli demonstration group prior to this evening’s match, who, after consultation confirmed that the location agreed as the site of their protest was suitable as it was close to Villa Park, accessible and well lit.

07:15pm

Fury among Pro-Israel protesters

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Jewish and British pro-Israeli protesters have been placed in a caged basketball court by police as they stage a demonstration against the ban on Maccabi fans from tonight’s game and calls for Israel to be thrown out of world football. There is fury among the protesters who argue that pro-Palestinian demonstrators were allowed to roam the streets.

07:10pm

“Keep anti-Semitism out of football”

07:00pm

Counter protests

06:49pm

Half-and-half scarves

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The ban on Maccabi fans has not stopped a trade in half-and-half scarves for the match. I just bumped into a Villa supporter wearing one. Sadly, he was not up for posing for a photograph. “I’d rather not,” he said.

06:43pm

“We came here to protest against the fact that we cannot go inside”

06:32pm

Counter protests assembling

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Close to Witton station a pro-Israeli counter-protest is assembling, under the banner “Every fan should be welcomed everywhere”. The demonstrators have been assured of transport to the ground under police escort.

A lady giving her name as Janine waves an Israeli Defence Force flag on the approaches to Villa Park. “I will not be cowed,” she says.

06:27pm

Pro-Palestine protests continue with around 90 minutes until kick-off at Villa Park

06:22pm

Aston Villa team bus arrives

06:22pm

On the ground

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‘Allahu Akbar’ being chanted outside Villa Park. Those shouting it insist that it is ‘intended peacefully’ and that its use has been ‘hijacked by the far Right’.

06:18pm

Police now blaming Maccabi fans for the ban

“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 travelling fans,” Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce told Sky News.

“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 that there is a section of Maccabi fans, not all Maccabi fans, but a section who engage in quite significant levels of hooliganism.

“What is probably quite unique in these circumstances is where as often hooligans will clash with other hooligans and it will be contained within the football fan base.

“We’ve had examples where a section of Maccabi fans were targeting people not involved in football matches, and certainly we had an incident in Amsterdam last year which has informed some of our decision-making.

“So it is exclusively a decision we made on the basis of the behaviour of a sub-section of Maccabi fans, but all the reaction that could occur obviously formed part of that as well.”

06:04pm

Pro-Palestine protests in full flow

06:02pm

A woman holding up an Israeli flag escorted away by police

05:53pm

As night falls outside Villa Park, growing chants of ‘from the river to the sea’ and ‘death, death to the IDF’.

05:43pm

Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine protesters exchange words

05:27pm

Pro-Palestine protests

05:23pm

Third-party websites

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Villa said in the build-up to the match that ticket sales would be limited to fans who had previously purchased a ticket for a match. But I have been told that third-party websites have been advertising tickets on the secondary market without such restrictions, raising the prospect of some ending up in the hands of Maccabi supporters or those protesting this evening.

05:15pm

No Maccabi fans will be inside the ground but a few are around outside

05:02pm

Heavy police presence as darkness falls

04:57pm

Demanding answers over the decision to ban Maccabi fans

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Ahead of kick-off, Karen Bradley, chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, has written to the West Midlands chief constable and the police and crime commissioner demanding answers over the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. Ms Bradley’s letter asks: “Did campaigning about the fixture, including a petition to cancel the fixture promoted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, affect your assessment of the risk posed by the fixture? In particular, was your assessment that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were put at greater risk by public campaigns against their attendance?”

She said in a statement: “The decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans has caused much disquiet and not been fully explained. We have written to the police leadership in the West Midlands because we want to understand how and why this call was made. Was it down to specific issues relating to Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, or did wider influences play a part? We don’t want to see any confusion or misinformation being exploited. We need to get a better picture of the challenges facing the police in dealing with fixtures with a heightened risk of disruption to see if it is right to expect them to prioritise resources to cope with these additional demands.”

04:54pm

Selling merchandise

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Falasteen United, an organisation set up earlier this year to “celebrate the culture, history and people of Palestine”, are marking their presence felt outside the Trinity Road Stand, setting up their own merchandise stall.

04:49pm

Maccabi club chief Jack Angelides speaking to Sky

04:42pm

On the ground

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Outside the Trinity Road Stand. More pro-Palestinian slogans being brought out. A sense that the atmosphere is going to become more tense once the sun goes down.

04:39pm

Counter protests

04:33pm

Maccabi statement on declining away ticket allocation

“The well-being and safety of our fans is paramount and, from hard lessons learned, we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans, and our decision should be understood in that context. We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.

“We acknowledge the efforts of the UK government and police to ensure both sets of fans can attend the match safely, and are grateful for the messages of support from across the footballing community and society at large. Our first-team squad consists of Muslims, Christian and Jewish players and our fan base also crosses the ethnic and religious divide. We have also been working tirelessly to stamp out racism within the more extreme elements of our fan base.

“It is clear that various entrenched groups seek to malign the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan base, most of whom have no truck with racism or hooliganism of any kind, and are exploiting isolated incidents for their own social and political ends. As a result of the hate-filled falsehoods, a toxic atmosphere has been created, which makes the safety of our fans wishing to attend very much in doubt.”

04:28pm

Schools around Villa Park close early

Schools in Birmingham are closing early amid growing fears of unrest before Aston Villa’s Europa League game against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

BOA Creative, Digital & Performing Arts Academy confirmed it would shut at 1.15pm after its principal emailed parents stating “a number of schools in the local area” were doing similar because of “protests” planned around the match.

Mansfield Green E-ACT Primary Academy, which is less than a mile from Villa Park, also told parents it would shut at 2pm “due to the Villa match” and that “the gates will be open for you to collect your children” at that time.

04:23pm

Unmarked coach thought to be carrying Maccabi team

04:19pm

Police vans lined up

More than 700 police officers have been deployed around Villa Park today.

03:56pm

A hail of abuse from car windows

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Just arrived in the vicinity of Villa Park and already witnessed an unpleasant altercation. This gentleman, who did not want his face to be fully displayed on the photograph, brought out an Israeli flag to show solidarity with the Jewish community.

Cue a hail of abuse from car windows on the roundabout behind him. A woman passing by called him “scum” and told him to “f— off out of my city”. Notice the “if you see a Zionist, call the anti-terror hotline” sign on the lamp post behind him. A West Midlands Police officer approached to remind him not to wave the flag directly in people’s faces. I did not witness him doing this.

03:40pm

Call for peace

Close to Villa’s stadium there is now a large, visible police presence.

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But residents Michael Harrison, 38, and Lisa Evans, 47, working at a small business near Villa Park, are not worried about possible protests.

Harrison even said Israeli fans should have been given tickets to attend the match.

“The game, it’s about bringing people together,” he said, adding he understood the police fears but that the fans could have been searched properly.

03:03pm

Section 60 in effect

As reported here earlier today by Ben Rumsby, police are using Section 60 powers near Villa Park this afternoon, which allow them to stop and search people without the need to have reasonable grounds.

It is a move used when senior officers believe serious violence may take place, or after a violent incident has happened.

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The image below, just in, shows this is now under way ahead of tonight’s powder-keg match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League.

More than 700 officers will be on the streets of Birmingham today amid multiple expected protests, alongside police horses, dogs, drones and roads units.

Police will be using Section 60 powers in an area stretching from Aston and Perry Barr to Birmingham New Street and the city centre, from midday on Thursday until 3am on Friday, according to reports.

02:49pm

Counter protest on wheels

Trucks carrying giant screens are driving near Villa Park displaying slogans including: “KICK OUT ANTI-SEMITISM.”

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They are tagged with the social media handle @the.britishzioness, which links to the Instagram page of Tali Smus, a self-proclaimed “unapologetic Jew and Zionist”.

The website thebritishzioness.com also describes her as “a university student who has transformed her convictions into impactful activism, writing and public speaking”.

02:37pm

Maccabi manager sad about lack of Israeli fans

Maccabi Tel Aviv manager Zarko Lazetic says it is sad his side’s supporters have been banned from attending the Europa League clash with Aston Villa.

The decision was made by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group, with Villa having no involvement, but it sparked a Parliamentary-level debate as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called it “wrong”.

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Lazetic was keen to keep the focus on the football but agreed it would have been better if his side had their allocation of around 2,000 supporters inside Villa Park.

Asked whether it was sad there will be an empty away section, Serbian Lazetic said: “Yeah, of course. Unfair or fair, in the world I am not one to judge that, but on the pitch it is 11 against 11 and we will try to do our best.”

02:29pm

Campaign against match involved Birmingham MP and cleric

When the decision to ban supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv from tonight’s match against Aston Villa in Birmingham was announced last month – sparking a wave of outrage – Telegraph Sport’s Tom Morgan wrote this background piece explaining how the situation had arrived at this point.

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He wrote about the month-long campaign against the Israeli team being allowed to play their Europa League match at Villa Park, explaining how pro-Palestine Birmingham MP Ayoub Khan, the ‘Game Over Israel’ campaign group and an outspoken Muslim cleric helped influence the decision.

Read the full piece here.

02:23pm

Poster protests

Telegraph reporter Ben Rumsby took these pictures of anti-Israel signs placed outside a children’s playground across the road from Villa Park’s Trinity Road Stand.

02:12pm

‘Hate crime against Jews’

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Senior politicians have condemned the messages on anti-Israel posters put up near Villa Park ahead of tonight’s match.

Lord Austin, the former Labour MP and lifelong Aston Villa fan, said: “This is a hate crime against Jews. I expect the police to urgently investigate and find the culprits. The local authority needs to be out immediately to remove these despicable signs. What should have been an exciting night of European football has been turned into a circus of extremism and anti-Semitism. Politicians and so-called community leaders, including an imam, have whipped this up and should be ashamed for their role in spreading division and fear in Birmingham.”

Shadow sports minister Louie French added: “Aston Villa are a fantastic football club with a proud history. But tonight’s match against Maccabi Tel Aviv is taking place under a dark cloud of hatred towards Israelis and Jews, which has evidently been whipped up for months by sectarian politics and the local MP. There should be no place in British sports or Parliament for this vile anti-Semitism.”

01:45pm

Rival protests expected – but Robinson ‘to stay away’

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The two most high-profile rival protests are not due to begin until 6pm and should end before kick-off. According to reports, police are expecting up to five different groups to stage demonstrations, compounding fears of clashes. Those groups could include supporters of far-Right activist Tommy Robinson (whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon), who is said to have informed police that he has no plans to attend tonight’s match in person.

Robinson had been blamed for Maccabi’s decision to refuse any allocation of tickets for the game after he threatened to show up wearing one of their shirts when the ban on their supporters attending the game was first announced.

Police announced yesterday they would be using Section 60 powers near Villa Park this afternoon allowing them to stop and search people without the need to have reasonable grounds.

01:39pm

Pro-Palestine protesters at Villa Park

Pro-Palestine protesters are making their feelings known by displaying banners, posters and flags outside Villa Park today ahead of tonight’s Europa League match between Aston Villa and Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

01:31pm

Riot police in position

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There are still almost seven hours until kick-off but police have already begun mobilising outside Villa Park, with a number of riot vans parked nearby and officers gearing up for a potentially long afternoon and evening. The signs attached to lampposts outside the stadium by pro-Palestinian protesters overnight have not been removed, risking a potential further flashpoint between rival demonstrators. Telegraph Sport has approached Birmingham City Council for comment. Police have also posted signs to warn of the no-fly zone in place in the area tonight.

12:51pm

Tensions build ahead of powder-keg match

Masked protesters have been filmed posting “Zionists not welcome” signs in Birmingham hours before the powder-keg game between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which kicks off at 8pm tonight.

Away supporters have been banned from the match but there are huge fears of violence around Birmingham with pro-Palestine, pro-Israel and nationalist British supporter groups all planning to protest around the city.

More than 700 police officers have been deployed in the area, with local schools closing early and a no-fly zone imposed around Villa Park from 2pm until 11.59pm.

And fears of trouble have only increased after masked protesters posted a video showing them putting up “Zionists not welcome” signs, as well as others that read “Shooting babies in Gaza, playing games in Birmingham”, “No war games allowed” and “If you see a Zionist call the anti-terror hotline”. In response, videos have emerged from British nationalist supporters outside the stadium saying they will respond in kind to any aggression.

The unprecedented police operation comes after Maccabi fans were banned after West Midlands Police declared the fixture “high risk”.

The decision to ban Israeli fans led to a huge outcry, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer leading the fury by saying the ruling was “wrong” and “akin to anti-Semitism”.

Maccabi went on to say they would reject any tickets if the decision were reversed. And on the eve of the game the club’s chief executive has warned: “We’re not a pawn in a political game.”

Talking to the BBC ahead of tonight’s fixture, Jack Angelides said: “It became a political issue and we’re not a pawn in a political game, we’re a football club.

“Our strengths are running a football club and playing football,” adding that the situation was “incredibly sad”.

Serious crowd trouble led to Maccabi’s derby with Hapoel being abandoned last month in Tel Aviv, which followed similar scenes almost a year ago during their Europa League game against Ajax in Amsterdam. But Angelides said he has a desire to eradicate “myths and falsehoods” around Maccabi and their fans.

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