Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv protests live: Marches to be held after political fallout over Israeli club’s fans

Ever since Maccabi Tel Aviv were drawn to face Aston Villa in the Europa League, there have been questions over how the game should be policed, and if it should be staged.

As previously reported, Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group blocked Maccabi supporters from attending the game, after an assessment by West Midlands Police classified the fixture as high-risk.

But there have also been calls for the game to be called off.

On Wednesday, campaign group Palestine Solidarity Campaign handed a petition signed by 25,000 people to the FA, demanding the game be called off.

Members will also be taking part in a protest outside Villa Park at 6pm tonight. It is expected that the action will be met by a counter protest.

Violent clashes and hate crime offences took place around the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last year, which the Eredivisie side won 5-0.

Pro-Palestinian supporters and Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv clashed in the Dutch capital. Amsterdam’s police chief said Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire the day before the match, as well as chanting anti-Palestinian slogans on matchday. The clashes led to dozens of arrests, while five people were imprisoned.

There have been accusations of antisemitic attacks in the immediate aftermath of the clashes from 6-7 November. Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema claimed the incidents caused “a black night and a dark day” for the city, claiming antisemitic “criminals” attacked Jewish visitors and that “it was hit and run”.

The local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), with help from an assessment from West Midlands Police that the match was “high-risk”, decided that approximately 1,000 Maccabi fans would be banned from attending.

The decision was not only made within the context of the Israel-Gaza war, but police added that the move was also “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”.

There were strong calls to reverse the decision, which was deemed politically controversial, but Maccabi stated on 20 October that they would snub the offer of tickets due to “a toxic atmosphere has been created which makes the safety of our fans wishing to attend very much in doubt”.

Away fans for the Israeli club have been banned from attending, with the Premier League club sharing the decision made by Birmingham City’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who issue safety certificates for matches at the Villa Park stadium.

The decision has sparked anger from Sir Keir Starmer and others, with the prime minister emphasising that the police should “ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labelled the decision “a national disgrace”.

Discussion has emerged in recent months about the inclusion of Israeli teams in international competitions as a result of the Israel-Gaza war. After the ceasefire was agreed to last month, the football fixture is set to go ahead.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of events in Birmingham today, with protests expected ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa League game against Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park.

Campaign group Palestine Solidarity Campaign will be holding a demonstration at Israeli sides’ continuing participation in international football, while counter-protests are also planned for the evening in opposition to fans of the club being excluded from attending the game on safety grounds.