LONDON: British police concluded that traveling Maccabi Tel Aviv fans represented the biggest potential threat of violence at their team’s match against Aston Villa next month.
The police assessment was a factor in the decision to ban supporters of the Israeli team from attending the Europa League game in Birmingham on Nov. 6.
The decision last week — which Aston Villa said followed “an instruction” from Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group based on the advice of West Midlands Police — sparked controversy, including accusations of antisemitism and criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Details of the police intelligence report and risk assessments have not been publicly shared but The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday that it was the Maccabi fans themselves that were the main source of concern, rather than the possibility that their supporters would be targeted by others.
Sources told the newspaper that West Midlands Police had learned scores of Maccabi fans with a history of violence and racism were expected to travel to the game. Dutch police told their British counterparts that Maccabi fans had instigated violence at a match in Amsterdam last year, randomly attacking Muslims.
