British PM Criticizes Birmingham Police Ban on Israeli Football Fans

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has criticized a decision by the Birmingham police to ban Israeli fans of football club Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending the Europa League game against Aston Villa on Nov. 6.

Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group, which issues safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, announced the ban after West Midlands Police said they had classified the fixture as high risk.

Senior UK government figures were set to meet on Oct. 17 to “see if there’s a way through” the ban, Minister for Sport Ian Murray said.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Home Office officials will be among those meeting in a bid to reverse the decision to bar Maccabi supporters from the match in the UK’s second city.

Violence in Amsterdam

The match between Amsterdam’s Ajax and Maccai on Nov. 7, 2024, was marred by clashes between Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian protesters both before and after the game.

Ahead of the match, pro-Palestinian demonstrators were banned by local authorities from gathering outside the stadium, and footage widely circulated on social media and reported by media including The Times of Israel shows Maccabi fans shouting “death to Arabs” and “let the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] win.”

Afterward, youths on scooters and on foot were captured on CCTV criss-crossing the city in search of Israeli fans, punching and kicking them and then fleeing quickly to evade police. Five Maccabi supporters were taken to the hospital with injuries.

There were 62 arrests following the violence, mostly Dutch nationals, although 10 were Maccabi supporters, according to local media outlet Dutch News, which reported that Israeli fans had been filmed tearing down at least one Palestinian flag.

West Midlands Police said they have classified the Villa vs Maccabi fixture as high risk 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.”

‘Wrong Decision’

In response to the announcement of the Birmingham ban, Starmer wrote on X: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

Starmer announced new measures to stamp out incidents regarded as anti-Semitic in character—including a review of the NHS—while visiting the Community Security Trust, a charity that has collected reports of anti-Semitism in the UK since 1984, and aims to protect Jews in the UK.

He was joined by other political leaders in condemning the ban, including Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who told The Times it was a “national disgrace.”

Murray, whose ministerial brief includes culture and science, told Sky News on Friday morning: “It’s just completely and utterly unacceptable, and the prime minister has said we will do everything we possibly can to resolve this issue.

“It’s an operational issue for the police, and government doesn’t get involved in operational issues for the police. But I know the culture secretary of state [Nandy] will be meeting with the Home Office and other stakeholders today to try and see if there’s a way through this.”

‘Cannot Conflate With Anti-Semitism’

Others welcomed the ban, including Ayaub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, who told the BBC on Oct. 16: “We cannot conflate [this decision with] anti-Semitism when we look at what some of these fans did in Amsterdam in 2024. … We’re talking about violent fans, and I think the prime minister should stay out of operational matters.”

The ban was criticised by Jewish groups, including the Jewish Leadership Council, which said on X: “It is perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety. Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors.”

Emily Damari, who was taken hostage by Hamas before being released in January and describes herself as “a die-hard fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv,” said on X: “I am shocked to my core with this outrageous decision to ban me, my family and my friends from attending an Aston Villa game in the UK. Football is a way of bringing people together irrespective of their faith, colour or religion, and this disgusting decision does the exact opposite.”

Villa said in a statement that police informed the club that “they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.”

The Premier League club added that “the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents [are] at the forefront of any decision.”

West Midlands Police said in its statement that it has a “strong track record of successfully policing football matches and other high-risk public events.”

Simon Foster, the West Midlands police and crime commissioner and a Labour politician, said on Oct. 17 he had requested a review of the decision and the operational plan that led to it.

UEFA, which runs the Europa League, urged UK authorities to ensure Maccabi fans can attend the match in Birmingham.

The Associated Press and PA Media contributed to this report