West Midlands Police Chief Apologizes for Misrepresenting Jewish Community Views on Maccabi Tel Aviv Fan Ban
Birmingham, UK – A West Midlands Police assistant chief constable has apologized after suggesting to a parliamentary committee that members of the local Jewish community supported the controversial decision to ban fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa on November 6th. The apology comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the ban, which sparked political backlash, including criticism from Labor leader Keir Starmer, who said he was “angered by the decision.”
The initial ban, implemented by Birmingham’s safety advisory group and based in part on police intelligence, aimed to mitigate risks associated with the fixture. Police had classified the match as “high risk,” citing alleged violent clashes and hate crime offences during a previous Europa League game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam in 2024. Though, Dutch police have as disputed the accuracy of those claims.
During questioning by the Home Affairs Committee on Monday, Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara stated that some Jewish representatives had indicated they did not want Maccabi fans to attend the Birmingham game.Following the committee hearing, West Midlands police clarified that it was “never the intention of the officer to imply that there were members of the Jewish community who had explicitly expressed support for the exclusion of Maccabi fans.”
A police spokesperson confirmed the officer has now written to Jewish representatives in Birmingham to apologize for the misrepresentation.
The Israeli embassy in London had previously condemned the use of “disproven allegations” regarding fan behavior in Amsterdam as justification for the ban, calling it “profoundly misleading, extremely troubling and risks inflaming tensions.”
West Midlands Police maintains it provided a “full and complete description” to MPs regarding the information and risk assessment process leading up to the match and will continue to cooperate with further inquiries from the Home Affairs Committee and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary & Fire and Rescue Services, commissioned by the Home Secretary. The incident highlights the complexities of balancing security concerns with the rights of supporters and the importance of accurate information in public safety decisions.
