Birmingham Police Under Scrutiny Over โขBan on israeli Soccer fans
BIRMINGHAM,โข England – Birmingham Police are facing mounting pressure too reverse a decision to ban Israeli soccer fans from โattending a UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying โmatch against Maccabi โTel Avivโ on โAugust 10th. The unprecedented move, citing public order concerns, hasโ sparked criticism from UEFA, football supporter groups, and accusations โคof antisemitism.
The ban marks the first time away fans have been prohibited โฃfrom attending a matchโ in England, raising questions about its legality and effectiveness.โข Authorities have not publicly detailed specific threats โฃthat โขprompted the decision, butโ it comes amid heightened tensions following Hamas’ October 7th, 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent military campaign inโค Gaza, and a recent surge in antisemitic โฃincidents in the United kingdom.
UEFA has urged British authorities to ensure Israeli fans can attend the match, while โFootball Supporters europe, UEFA’s โคrecognizedโ advisory group, released a statement opposing the blanket ban. “Such away travel ban would be aโข first in England, and it’s extremely worrying to see the local police take that route when evidence shows that it doesn’t solve โanything,” the statement read. “To the โขcontrary, it creates additional risk by not offering a controlled and secured environment inside the stadium.”
Maccabiโฃ Telโ Aviv chief executive Jack Angelides โexpressed “dismay,” telling the BBC, “I โdon’t useโฃ this term lightly but people ask, ‘What does antisemitism โฃlook like?’ And it’s frequentlyโค enough manifested as part of a processโฆ simply putโ small events leading up to โฃsomething that’s more sinister.”
The โขdecision follows a recent โคattack on a synagogue in the UK,whereโ a car and knife attack left two congregants dead. Community Security Trust, a charity protecting british Jews, reports antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have reached record levels since the October 7th attacks.
Emily Damari, a โฃBritish-Israeliโ dual national formerly held โcaptive by hamas and a supporter of both โmaccabiโค Tel Aviv and Tottenham Hotspur, โcondemned the ban as divisive. “Football isโข aโ way of bringing people together irrespective of their faith, color or religion, and this disgusting decision does the exact opposite,” she stated. “shame on you. I hope you come to your senses and reconsider.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv, an Israeli club, participates in UEFA competitions despite boycotts from many Muslim nations in the Middle East and โคAsia. The qualifying match โis a crucial step towards reaching the Europa Conference League group stage.