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Aston Villa host Maccabi Tel Aviv In Europa League The controversy continued for several weeks after this incident on Thursday night.
Israeli club away fans banned from attendingThe Premier League club shared the decision taken by Birmingham City’s Security Advisory Group (SAG), which issues security certificates for matches at the Villa Park stadium.
Sir is angry with this decision keir starmer And others, with the Prime Minister stressing that police must “ensure that all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation”.
While Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labeled the decision a “national disgrace”, in recent months there has been discussion about including Israeli teams in international competitions as a result of the Israel–Gaza war.
After a ceasefire was agreed last month, stabilization is set to move forward. Here’s where we stand amid security concerns for this UEFA Europa League league stage match:
Why are there no away fans?
Call your local Security Advisory Group (SAG) for help with an assessment West Midlands Police The match was “high risk”, it was decided that approximately 1,000 Maccabi fans would be banned from attending.
The decision was not only taken in the context of the Israel–Gaza war, but police also said that the move was “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”.
There were strong calls to reverse the decision, which was considered politically controversial, but Maccabi said on 20 October that they would reject the offer of tickets because “a toxic environment has been created whereby the safety of our fans wishing to attend is in doubt.”
Are there any recent examples of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at away matches that influenced the decision?
Violent clashes and hate crimes occurred around the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv Last year in Amsterdam, which the Eredivisie side won 5-0.
Pro-Palestinian supporters and Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv clash in the Dutch capital. The Amsterdam police chief said that Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi the day before the match and set fire to a Palestinian flag, as well as chanting anti-Palestinian slogans on the day of the match. The clashes led to dozens of arrests, while five people were jailed.
Allegations of anti-Semitic attacks have been made soon after the 6–7 November clashes. Amsterdam mayor Famke Halsema claimed that these events caused “a dark night and a dark day” for the city, claiming that anti-Semitic “criminals” attacked Jewish visitors and “hit them and ran them over”.
What measures have been taken and will there be increased police presence?
It has been widely reported that more than 700 police officers will be on duty in and around the Villa Park stadium on the evening of the game. Horses, dogs, a drone unit and road police officers will be present and there is a no-fly zone around the ground. According to the , the community in the Aston area is 73.3 percent Muslim. 2021 census,
While West Midlands Railway has confirmed there will be a heavy police presence between Aston and Witton train stations.
So why is the decision to ban fans controversial?
European football’s governing body UEFA told Reuters that competent local authorities are responsible for decisions on fan safety.
Some supporters reacted negatively to the decision, saying it would affect the atmosphere, while Johnny Gould, former director Aston Villa The Supporters Trust says it “does not want politics in the business of football”.
While according to Maccabi Tel Aviv president Jack Angelides, the more serious impact of the decision is how it could set a precedent for how events proceed.
“To be honest, there’s been some disappointment about what this potentially indicates,” he told Radio 4. Today show. “I think this is an extremely important moment because of what it means. I don’t use this word lightly but people ask: ‘What does antisemitism look like?’ “And it often appears as part of a process – a process, in other words, small events that add up to something bigger.”
Will there be protests?
Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce, Commander of Birmingham Police, confirmed that protests were expected to take place on the day, with plans to “balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham”.
There may also be counter-protests in support of Israel.
West Midlands Police A statement was released on social media on Wednesday confirming that supporters planning to attend the event on Thursday night would face “multiple ticket checks on the way to the stadium”.