Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will not be allowed to attend Aston Villa match amid safety concerns

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will not be able to attend their side’s Europa League match with Aston Villa because of safety concerns, it has been announced.

West Midlands Police said the decision was based partly on what happened in Amsterdam last year, when Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending a match against Ajax were targets of antisemitic attacks.

Dozens of people were arrested and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said assaults “against Israelis and Jews are nothing short of shocking and reprehensible”.

The Jewish Leadership Council, which works to protect British Jews, slammed the decision to stop Israeli fans from travelling to Birmingham.

In a post on X, it said it was “perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety”.

It added: “Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors.”

Aston Villa said the decision followed safety concerns raised by officers.

The local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) said no fans of the Israeli club would be able to attend the match on 6 November, Aston Villa added.

A SAG is a multi-agency forum coordinated by a local authority.

The Premier League club said in a statement: “Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG has formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture.

“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability 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.”

In a statement, West Midlands Police said the upcoming game had been classified as “high risk” following a “thorough assessment”.

“West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending,” a spokesperson said.

“This decision is 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.

“Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety.

“We remain steadfast in our support all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”