Maccabi are the only Israeli side to have qualified for the main draw of a European competition this term, and concerns were raised when they were drawn to travel to Birmingham to take on Villa.
There have been calls for Israeli teams to be banned from European competition due to the Israel-Gaza conflict, but upon a ceasefire being agreed in October, Maccabi were given the all-clear to remain in the Europa League. However, the controversy has stemmed from the decision to ban travelling Maccabi supporters from attending the game.
Why are there no away fans?
The local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for determining the need for police presence as well as potential limitations to crowd size, were told by West Midlands Police that the fixture was seen as ‘high-risk’ and advised against allowing Maccabi fans to attend amid security concerns.
The police’s advice was based on “current intelligence and previous incidents” and cited “violent clashes and hate crime offences” that took place during Maccabi’s trip to Ajax in last year’s Europa League.
The decision to ban Maccabi fans resulted in significant public criticism, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer among those to disagree.
West Midlands Railway have said that there will be authorities monitoring Aston and Witton stations, while there will also be dogs, horses, and drone units put in place.
Section 60 powers – allowing officers to stop and search anyone in a specific area without needing reasonable grounds – will be in action, according to West Midlands Police.
What has happened at other Maccabi games?
Maccabi fans have been able to travel to PAOK, Dynamo Kyiv, Hamrun Spartans, and Pafos in their European away games this season without restriction.
Around 100 Israelis made their way to Greece to watch the stalemate against PAOK.
Are there any protests expected?
There are a number of different groups planning to protest today, as confirmed by Birmingham Police commander, chief superintendent Tom Joyce this week.
“We know protests by different groups will take place on the day, and we have plans in place which balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham,” he said.
There is a protest expected from pro-Palestinian groups, who are calling for the match to be cancelled.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Kashmir Solidarity Campaign and Palestinian Forum in Britain are all expected to be involved.
West Midlands Police stated on social media that “there will be multiple ticket checks on the approach to the stadium”.
Keir Starmer condemned the move to ban Maccabi supporters, calling it the “wrong decision”.
“The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation,” he said.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said that it was “a national disgrace” that Maccabi fans could not travel to Villa Park, while the Jewish Leadership Council said that it was “perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety”.
