Government 'doing everything' to overturn Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban
The government has announced that it is doing everything in our power
to reverse a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters watching a football match in Birmingham and exploring what additional funds might be needed. Aston Villa's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) reported on Thursday that fans of the Israeli team would not be allowed to attend the Europa League fixture on Friday due to safety issues. Faced with growing pressure to handle the situation, the government said it was working with police and looking at what additional funds are needed. According to the Home Office, a meeting of the SAG to discuss the match is scheduled next week.
a government spokesperson said. The government was also working with police and other departments to ensure the game couldNo one should be barred from attending a football game simply for being who they are,
safely go forward with all fans present,the officials said. Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday that the attempt to discourage supporters from attending
wrong,adding,
high riskWe will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. Other party leaders have also chastised me. Birmingham City Council said the SAG, which advises the council on whether to issue safety certificates, will review the decision if West Midlands Police changes its risk assessment for the match. West Midlands Police said on Thursday that the fixture was
violent clashes and hate crime offencesbased on current intelligence and previous events, including
toxic mixture of antisemitism, hooliganism, and indignationbetween Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024. More than 60 people were arrested over the violence, which city authorities described as a
serious questions to answerover the war in Gaza, Israel, and elsewhere in the Middle East. The Home Office was briefed that restrictions on visiting fans could be enforced last week, but the BBC claims that officials were not aware of the final decision until Thursday. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said the revelation left Shabana Mahmood, with
about why her department didnothing
to avoid the ban.This is a weak government that struggles to respond when called upon,
she said.This is categorically untrue,
a source close to Mahmood told the BBC.Last night was the first time the home secretary knew that the fans were being barred.
The decision has also been condemned by Liberal Democrats and Reform UK, as well as Israeli government officials. The Green Party endorsed the decision, saying that it was irresponsible
for Starmer to challenge a local authority's safety decision. The decision to ban fans was a moral issue,
not just about public safety, according to Ayoub Khan, an independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr who ran on a pro-Gaza platform in last year's general election. Khan said the rules governing
should alsoRussian football teams that have been barred from European competitions due to their atrocities in Ukraine
apply with Israeli football teams,when speaking on BBC's Politics Midlands. Even if additional funds were sent to West Midlands Police, the supporters should not be allowed to attend, according to Khan, who has expressed reservations about safety and public order, citing last year's unrest in Amsterdam. Emily Damari, a British-Israeli civilian who was detained in Gaza and released in January, said she was
shocked to my corebecause of her
extraordinary decision.Football brings people together regardless of their faith, race, or faith, and this disgusting decision does the exact opposite.
Several sporting performances have been demonstrating in Gaza over the war, including in recent World Cup qualifiers. 22 people were arrested outside the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo earlier this month, when Israel's national team defeated Norway. According to reports, tear gas was used after several demonstrators broke through police barriers. A few days later, Israel's national team played their next qualifier against Italy in the northern city of Udine, where around 5,000 protesters marched in a march leading up to the game. Clashes with police broke out, with a number of people detained. Several people were arrested in Spain on Wednesday during a demonstration against Euroleague's basketball match between Valencia and Hapoel Tel Aviv.
