Ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans for Aston Villa game 'based on false hooligan claims'

West Midlands Police has defended the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending an Aston Villa match after it was claimed that false intelligence was used.

Supporters of the Israeli club were barred from the Europa League fixture at Villa Park on 6 November.

West Midlands Police chief superintendent Tom Joyce told Sky News before the game that a "section" of Maccabi's fanbase engaged in "quite significant levels of hooliganism".

According to The Sunday Times, West Midlands Police claimed in a confidential dossier that when Maccabi played Ajax in Amsterdam last year, Israeli fans threw "innocent members of the public into the river", and added that between 500 and 600 supporters had "intentionally targeted Muslim communities".

The report also said 5,000 Dutch police officers had been deployed in response.

However, the Netherlands' national police force has questioned the claims, reportedly describing information cited by its British officers as "not true" and in some instances obviously inaccurate.

Sebastiaan Meijer, a spokesman for the Amsterdam division, told The Sunday Times that he was "surprised" by allegations in the West Midlands Police report, which had linked 200 travelling supporters to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

Mr Meijer denied that his force had such intelligence, adding that the claim was meaningless given the country had a policy of conscription.

Also, Mr Meijer said that Amsterdam's force "does not recognise" the claim in the British report, attributed to Dutch law enforcement, that Israelis were "highly organised, skilled fighters with a serious desire and will to fight with police and opposing groups".

The Dutch police added that the only known case of a fan being in the river appeared to involve a Maccabi supporter. While being filmed, he was told he could leave the water on the condition that he said "Free Palestine".

In an interview with Sky News before the game, West Midlands Police referenced disorder when Maccabi played Ajax in Amsterdam last November.

Mr Joyce said ahead of the Villa Park match: "We've had examples where a section of Maccabi fans were targeting people not involved in football matches, and certainly we had an incident in Amsterdam last year which has informed some of our decision-making.

"So it is exclusively a decision we made on the basis of the behaviour of a sub-section of Maccabi fans, but all the reaction that could occur obviously formed part of that as well."

Maccabi's visit to Birmingham came amid heightened tensions due to Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza.

A safety advisory group (SAG) recommended that Maccabi fans should be banned from attending the fixture on the advice of the police. The ban drew criticism, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was the "wrong decision".

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West Midland Police's statement in full

Following The Sunday Times report, West Midlands Police stood by its "information and intelligence", adding that the "Maccabi Fanatics... posed a credible threat to safety".

In a statement to Sky News, the force said: "West Midlands Police's evaluation was based primarily on information and intelligence and had public safety at its heart.

"We assessed the fixture between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam as having involved significant public disorder.

"We met with Dutch police on 1 October, where information relating to that 2024 fixture was shared with us.

"Informed by information and intelligence, we concluded that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters - specifically the subgroup known as the Maccabi Fanatics - posed a credible threat to public safety.

"The submission made to the SAG safety advisory group was based on information and intelligence which helped shape understanding of the risks.

"West Midlands Police commissioned a peer review, which was conducted by UKFPU [United Kingdom Policing Unit], the NPCC [National Police Chiefs' Council] and subject matter experts.

"This review, carried out on 20 October, fully endorsed the force's approach and decision-making.

"We are satisfied that the policing strategy and operational plan was effective, proportionate, and maintained the city's reputation as a safe and welcoming place for everyone."

Sky News has approached Dutch police for comment.

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