West Midlands Police Advisory Group's Ban on Away Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans Under Scrutiny
The Home Affairs Committee is set to hear oral evidence from Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton and other council officials regarding the decision by the West Midlands Police and Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ban away Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Europa League match scheduled for 6 November at Villa Park.
The ban has drawn criticism, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other Members of Parliament who suggested the measure could amount to antisemitism.
John Cotton revealed he advised the police against the ban, warning that it would have negative consequences for Birmingham and damage its reputation as a welcoming city.
In response to the controversy, the council and SAG plan to conduct a formal independent forward-looking governance review with an external law firm.
West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford provided the committee with intelligence that justified the ban, referencing a 1 October meeting with Dutch police about a future Ajax–Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam in 2024.
The police notes included descriptions of alleged incidents and capabilities of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, claiming they are organised and well-trained, with various alleged incidents in Amsterdam where 2,000 Dutch police officers were reportedly deployed.
However, Lord Mann challenged several claims as inaccurate, noting that Dutch police did not recognise some of the alleged organised-fan aspects and that British police had conflated separate events.
Guildford also stated there was no documented feedback from Jewish representatives supporting the ban prior to its announcement; since the hearing, some members of the Jewish community have privately expressed support for the decision. An apology from Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara was clarified as accepted by the community.
The next evidence session on this matter is scheduled for 6 January.
