Fury builds against ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters for Aston Villa clash
UK officials came under increasing demands on Friday to reverse the prohibition preventing Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from joining a European fixture against Aston Villa, a ruling that the Israeli administration labelled as disgraceful.
Aston Villa revealed on Thursday that after consulting with law enforcement, no visiting supporters would be allowed at the UEFA Europa League encounter with the Israeli outfit in Birmingham on November 6, citing worries about security.
Disgraceful ruling. I urge the British officials to overturn this spineless choice, posted Israels foreign minister Gideon Saar on X.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, an avid football enthusiast, criticised the action as misguided in a late Thursday announcement.
We refuse to accept antisemitism in our communities. Law enforcements duty is to guarantee that every football supporter can relish the match free from threats of aggression or coercion, Starmer shared on X.
Britains Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, overseeing sports matters, planned a Friday discussion with home office representatives and various parties to explore potential solutions to the restriction, according to a government figure.
The Prime Minister has pledged to exhaust all options in tackling this matter, Ian Murray informed British press outlets.
Aston Villa explained that the directive came from the Safety Advisory Group, the organisation tasked with granting safety approvals for all events at the teams ground, Villa Park.
The SAG has officially notified the club and UEFA that no visiting supporters can enter Villa Park for this game, the clubs message stated.
West Midlands Police informed the SAG of safety issues beyond the stadium confines and the capacity to manage any likely demonstrations during the evening.
Aston Villa noted ongoing talks with the Israeli team and regional authorities, prioritising the welfare of match goers and nearby inhabitants in every choice.
Outrageous
Regional police declared on Thursday that they rated the event as high risk after a detailed review.
This choice stems from recent intelligence and prior events, encompassing brutal confrontations and bias motivated crimes from the 2024 UEFA Europa League game between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam, remarked a West Midlands police representative.
The previous Novembers clash involving the Dutch team Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv involved two days of fierce encounters between pro Palestinian activists and Israeli supporters.
Followers of the Israeli side faced assaults in Amsterdam through drive by strikes.
Those incidents marked the peak of two days of brawls that additionally involved Maccabi supporters singing anti Arab chants, damaging a cab, and removing a Palestinian banner.
Emily Damari, a British Israeli taken during Hamass assault on Israel on October 7 2023 and detained for over a year prior to her January release, stated the prohibition would bar her from seeing Maccabi, her favoured team.
Football serves as a means to unite individuals regardless of their beliefs, ethnicity or creed, and this outrageous ruling achieves the reverse, she expressed in her remarks.
Maccabi Tel Aviv executive director Jack Angelides informed BBC radio that the squad has journeyed to nations where attitudes towards Israeli clubs are far from welcoming, yet police provided strong presence and avoided any trouble.