Maccabi Tel Aviv fans barred from UK soccer game over safety concerns
Antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents are on the rise in the UK, with a recent report accusing British authorities of failing to address discrimination.
British police on Thursday moved to ban Israeli fans from an upcoming soccer match in Birmingham, creating an uproar in both countries amid rising antisemitism in the United Kingdom, and Europe more broadly, against the backdrop of the war in Gaza.
What happened: The police in West Midlands said fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv will not be permitted to attend the club’s Nov. 6 matchup against Premier League outfit Aston Villa in Birmingham.
“This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offenses that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam,” a spokesperson for the local police said. Aston Villa confirmed the decision in a statement, saying they had been informed of the move by the Safety Advisory Group, a body made up of police and other authorities.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the move “shameful” in a post on X, adding, “I call on the UK authorities to reverse this coward decision!”
