Aston Villa will face Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League in November. Local police in Birmingham, however, have urged that supporters of the Israeli club be barred from attending the match. It has now been revealed that this will be the case, infuriating the Israeli Foreign Minister.
The West Midlands Police (WMP)’s position comes amid concerns of unrest. When Maccabi Tel Aviv flew to Amsterdam to face Ajax last November, Dutch police arrested 62 people after disturbances, with five hospitalised.
Police revealed that Israeli team supporters attacked a taxi and set fire to a Palestinian flag the day before the match, which had an additional 800 officers stationed owing to safety concerns.
Several European clubs reportedly approached UEFA about avoiding a match against an Israeli team in continental competitions, but Villa were unable to prevent them in the draw. According to The Athletic, the WMP has advised the city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) against allowing an away allocation at Villa Park, and UEFA, the competition’s organiser, is anticipated to accept local authorities’ recommendations.
The SAG, which is in charge of advising on safety during the match, is comprised up of emergency services, the club, and other stakeholders. According to The Athletic, representatives from Birmingham City Council, the SAG, Villa, and other relevant parties met in an emergency meeting on Thursday to resolve the situation.
UEFA Releases Statement Regarding Maccabi Tel Aviv versus Villa
The problem is compounded by UEFA rules, which require home teams to make at least 5% of their stadium capacity available to away supporters. When approached for a comment, UEFA responded:
“UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their team in a safe, secure, and inviting environment, and it encourages both teams and the relevant authorities to agree on the adoption of the essential measures to make this possible.
“In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory, such decisions being determined on the basis of thorough risk assessments, which vary from match to match and take into consideration previous circumstances.”
According to a 2021 census, over 30% of Birmingham’s population is Muslim, and the city has experienced numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the conflict began. With that in mind, it won’t be surprising if Maccabi Tel Aviv’s arrival in England is met with strong opposition.
When Israel’s national team visited Norway for a World Cup qualifier, they received a strong welcome from the locals. Many people protested ahead of the game, and one fan even raced onto the field wearing a “Free Gaza” T-shirt. The national anthem was also booed, and there were chants of “Free Palestine” throughout.
Ayoub Khan, an independent member of parliament for Birmingham’s Perry Barr area, has signed a petition demanding for the game to be scrapped, moved to a neutral third country, or held behind closed doors with no spectators. However, with the match only 20 days away, it is doubtful that it will be cancelled or relocated.
Israeli Foreign Minister Fumes as Aston Villa Confirms No Fans Will Attend.
Aston Villa has stated that no away fans will attend the match. A club statement clarified:
“Aston Villa can announce that the club has been told that no away fans will be permitted to attend the UEFA Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6, as per a Safety Advisory Group directive.
“The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is in charge of providing safety certificates for each match at Villa Park based on a variety of physical and safety criteria.
“Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG formally notified the club and UEFA that no away fans will be permitted to attend this encounter at Villa Park.
“West Midlands Police have informed the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and are prepared to deal with any potential protests on the night.
“The club are 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.”
However, this revelation has not pleased Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. According to Sky News correspondent Rob Harris, Sa’ar criticised the decision, saying:
“What a shameful decision! I call on the UK authorities to reverse this cowardly decision.”
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