Independent Muslim MP Ayoub Khan demands an apology from the Prime Minister as a Tel Aviv football fan riot exposes the true danger Israeli fans pose to Birmingham’s streets, vindicating the lawmaker amid a heated fan ban row.
Khan, a Pakistan-born barrister and independent Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr, became a lightning rod for Zionist and far-right bullying since his successful campaign to ban racist and Islamophobic Israeli football fans from an upcoming fixture against Aston Villa FC.
However, following a massive riot between Israeli fans at the Tel Aviv derby between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv last night, Khan’s supporters claim he has been totally vindicated after coming under vicious attack for his stance.
In a video posted on X, Khan slammed the Prime Minister and other senior figures for engaging in a “libellous” smear campaign against him and the ban.
“Shame on you Keir Starmer and shame on you Kemi Badeknock and all the other politicians and news anchors who sort to conflate matters. Contrary to Starmer’s disgraceful comments labelling West Midlands Police and the Safety Advisory Group as antisemitic, this was never about religion it was always about hooligans and I am confident that you knew this deep down.
“The riots at the derby in Tel Aviv have left police and civilians injured. I will continue to support our chief constable and the decisions he makes, even when everyone else throws him under the bus.”
Last week, West Midlands police said it had classified the 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.”
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The police also said it believed the ban on Israeli fans would “help mitigate risks to public safety” and that it remained “steadfast in our support of all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”
However, the move was harshly condemned by the prime minister who said: “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.”
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch also attacked the ban saying it was a “national disgrace” and urged Starmer to reverse it.
The ban and the support it received from Khan ignited a firestorm of abuse, much of it steeped in Islamophobic rhetoric.
From October 15 to 18, 2025, Khan has faced a deluge of online harassment, false media accusations of racism and antisemitism, and calls for his resignation, with critics leveraging his Muslim identity to paint him as a divisive figure.
Social media platforms like X have amplified this backlash, with slurs like “jihadi MP” and “terror supporter” reflecting a broader surge in Islamophobic attacks against Muslim politicians in the UK.
In his latest statement, Khan also claimed that the attacks against him from politicians and the media put him and his family in danger.
“The disgraceful, libellous and irresponsible comments made by some politicians have put me and my family in danger. Those that seek to sow division, know this. You will never succeed. I will always stand up for what is just and right.
“Keir Starmer, you owe an apology to our chief constable and to all the others.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have a history of violent fighting, hooliganism and racist chanting. In 2024, fans if the Israeli club were filmed assaulting an Arab bystander in Athens and rampaging through Amsterdam, vandalising Muslim businesses, ripping down Palestine flags and fighting with local police.
Common chants heard from Maccabi fans include: “death to Arabs”, “f**k Palestine” and calls to rape the women of Arabs or mocking the genocide in Gaza.
Despite this, the PM and much of the political and media landscape rushed to the defence of the Israeli fans, peddling pro-Israel lobby claims that the ban was an “antisemitic ban” on Jews from attending a football match.
The editor and founder of 5Pillars, Roshan Salih, posted on X advice to the vindicated Muslim MP: “Go on Ayoub Khan, sue every single one of those people who called you a racist and an antisemite. It’s an open and shut case and I look forward to see their grovelling apologies and financial pain.”
