Ministers attempt to overturn ban on Tel Aviv fans at Aston Villa match: live updates

West Midlands Police has a strong track record of successfully policing football matches and other high-risk public events.

We are committed to providing fair and impartial policing while balancing the public’s right to protest with our duty to ensure public safety.

After a thorough assessment, we have classified the upcoming Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv match as high risk.

We have actively engaged with a wide range of local partners and community representatives in preparation for this sustainability, and will continue to participate in the Security Advisory Group.

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

The decision is based on current intelligence and past incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime crimes that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam.

Based on our professional judgment, we believe this measure will help reduce 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.

As government officials are about to meet on the ban, The Independent takes a look at what happened in Amsterdam last autumn:

Emily Damari, a British-Israeli who was held captive by Hamas for more than a year before being released in January, and who supports football teams Maccabi Tel Aviv and Tottenham Hotspur, said the decision to ban Israeli fans attending matches against Aston Villa was “outrageous”.

She said: “I am shocked to the core by this disgraceful decision to ban me, my family and my friends from attending Aston Villa games in the UK.

“Football is a way of bringing people together regardless of their faith, color or religion, and this disgusting decision does the exact opposite.

“You should be ashamed. I hope you come to your senses and reconsider.”

“I wonder what has really become of British society. It’s like putting a big sign outside a stadium: ‘No Jews allowed’.”

“What has happened to Britain where blatant anti-Semitism has become the norm? What a sad world we live in.”

UEFA, which runs the Europa League, urged British authorities to ensure Maccabi Tel Aviv fans can attend matches in Birmingham.

In a statement, it said: “UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their teams in a safe, secure and welcoming environment, and encourages both teams and the competent authorities to agree on the implementation of the appropriate measures necessary to allow this to happen.

“In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions relating to the safety and security of matches taking place in their jurisdictions, with such decisions being determined based on a thorough risk assessment, which varies from match to match and takes into account the preceding circumstances.”

Senior government officials will meet on Friday “to see if there is a way” to ban Israeli fans attending a football match in Birmingham, a minister has said.

Department for Culture minister Ian Murray told Sky News that the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters attending next month’s match against Aston Villa was a “misjudgment” by Birmingham’s security advisory group.

Mr Murray told the broadcaster: “The Prime Minister and the Government are clear about this. In fact, almost every politician is clear about this.”

He said: “This is completely and totally unacceptable, and the Prime Minister has said that we will do everything possible to resolve this issue.

“This is an operational issue for the police, and the government does not get involved in operational issues for the police.

“But I know the Culture Secretary of State (Lisa Nandy) will be meeting with the Home Office and other stakeholders today to try to see if there is a way through this.”

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Israel’s decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from his team’s match against Aston Villa, calling it a “wrong decision”.

The Prime Minister joined Birmingham City Council’s security advisory group and calls for West Midlands Police to reverse the decision and allow Maccabi fans to attend games.

He said on X: “We will not tolerate anti-Semitism on our streets.

“The role of the police is to ensure that all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation.”