British government intervenes in ban on Maccabi fans at Aston Villa

Politicians Speak Out on the Ban of Maccabi Tel-Aviv Fans at the Europa League Match

High-ranking government officials will meet on Friday to address the security ban preventing Maccabi Tel-Aviv supporters from attending the Europa League match against Aston Villa next month. The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) has informed Aston Villa that away fans will not be allowed entry to the match at Villa Park on November 6th, a decision that has generated controversy and has already been criticized by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. There are concerns about possible disturbances and protests related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. However, Starmer issued a strong statement on X opposing the decision. The minister of the Department for Culture, Ian Murray, has suggested that the matter is not closed.

The Prime Minister and the Government have been clear about this. In fact, practically all politicians have been clear about it. It is completely unacceptable and the Prime Minister has said that we will do everything possible to solve this problem.

Ian Murray

Murray added: “It’s an operational matter for the police, and the Government doesn’t intervene in operational matters for the police. But I know that the Secretary of State for Culture [Lisa Nandy] will meet today with the Home Office and other interested parties to try to find a solution.”

Prime Minister Starmer had written on X:

This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.

“The role of the police is to ensure that all football fans can enjoy the match, without fear of violence or intimidation.” UEFA, the governing body of European football, has also expressed its opinion, promoting the principle of inclusion for visiting fans.

UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their team in a safe and welcoming environment, and encourages both teams and the relevant authorities to agree on the implementation of the appropriate measures necessary for this to happen.

UEFA Statement

In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the security of the matches held in their territory, decisions that are determined on the basis of comprehensive risk assessments, which vary from one match to another and take into account the previous circumstances.

Upon announcing the news, the club stated that it will continue to monitor the situation.

“The club is in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities during this ongoing process, with the safety of the fans attending the match and the safety of local residents as a priority in any decision,” Aston Villa stated. West Midlands Police have stated that they have a strong track record of successfully policing football matches and other high-risk public events. A police force spokesperson said: “We are committed to delivering fair and impartial policing, balancing the public’s right to protest with our duty to ensure public safety.” “Following an exhaustive assessment, we have classified the upcoming match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel-Aviv as high risk. While the safety certificate is issued by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police supports the decision to ban the attendance of away supporters.” “This decision is based on current information and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam. “We firmly maintain our support for all affected communities and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance against hate crimes in all their forms.”