Around 1,000 pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered outside Villa Park in Birmingham last night ahead of Aston Villa’s UEFA Europa League match against Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv (which Villa won 2-0).
The protest — organised by groups including the West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Game Over Israel, and Health Workers 4 Palestine — started around 6pm and lasted through the game.
Protestors demanded the cancellation of the fixture, a full ban on Israeli teams from UEFA and FIFA competitions, and an end to “sportswashing” of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Banners read “Boycott Israel”, “No war games allowed”, and “Zionists not welcome.”
Chants included “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Death to the IDF.”
Speakers used a stage to call Maccabi Tel Aviv complicit in settlements and genocide.
A smaller pro-Israel rally (about 65 people) marched silently nearby, escorted by police to a caged basketball court. They carried signs saying “Keep antisemitism out of football.”
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700 hundred police officers formed a “ring of steel” with 11 arrests for racially aggravated public-order offences, abuse toward both sides, and one officer racially abused.
Fireworks were thrown toward Villa fans at half-time; minor scuffles (including Tommy Robinson chants) were quickly contained.
A 32-year-old man was held for shouting racist abuse at the pro-Palestine group.
Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group banned Maccabi fans entirely — the first such move in modern European football — citing intelligence and last year’s Amsterdam riots.
Maccabi still declined tickets. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the ban wrong and warned it could “allow antisemitism on our streets.”
Many Villa fans ignored or opposed the protest, with some chanting against it.
Eyewitnesses described a “tense but controlled” evening — no major violence inside the stadium, which had empty away sections.
Villa Park returned to calm after full-time, but expect similar scenes whenever Maccabi or the Israeli national team play abroad.
