West Midlands Police have confirmed that more than 700 officers will be on duty for Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday in Birmingham.
They said that the officers will tackle any crime or disorder that may arise, with police horses, dogs, drone units and road policing all across Birmingham.
Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) announced last month that visiting Israeli fans will be banned from attending the game due to public safety concerns.
The ban was met with widespread political backlash and pressure from pro-Israel groups to overturn the ban.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned it, calling it the “wrong decision,” with the issue being the topic of parliamentary-level debates.
The Israeli club also confirmed that its supporters would not be travelling to Birmingham for safety concerns.
Despite this, WMP have reaffirmed their decision to uphold the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and have announced their policing plans “to keep everyone safe”.
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There will be a number of protests held on the day, primarily by pro-Palestine campaigning groups who want the match called off entirely.
Such groups include Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, among others who have called for the match to be cancelled.
A bid to ‘maintain peace’
Birmingham Police Commander, Ch Supt Tom Joyce, said: “We have been working closely with partners including Birmingham City Council, Aston Villa Football Club, and our colleagues in other emergency services, as we put in place our significant policing operation.”
Joyce added that “anyone who breaks the law will be dealt with directly, as will those who incite hate.”
“We know protests by different groups will take place on the day, and we have plans in place which balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham.”
WMP also said that people can expect to see a “large number of uniformed officers, as well as police horses, police dogs, our drone unit, road policing unit, protest liaison officers and others.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were originally banned following intelligence reports on concerns over large numbers of extreme fans, who were known for their violent and racist history of behaviour.
Dutch police also flagged Maccabi fans in the past for inciting violence during a match in Amsterdam, including racist chanting and targeted attacks on Muslims.
WMP concluded through an assessment that Aston Villa fans posed a low or manageable risk, while Maccabi fans presented a high risk.
WMP confirmed on November 1 that their “risk assessment has not changed, nor our advice to the Safety Advisory Group.”
