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

West Midlands Police announced on Wednesday night that it will be using Section 60 powers – the ability to “stop and search people without the need to have reasonable grounds” – throughout Thursday.

It said: “We will have more than 700 officers keeping the public safe and arresting anyone who engages in crime or disorder.”

The Section 60 powers will be in place over a large area of central Birmingham from 12pm Thursday until 3am Friday.

The force added: “People not attending the event should expect significant disruption to the roads in the area on the evening, and we’d urge people to avoid the area where possible.”

Amsterdam’s police chief said Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire the day before the match.

On match day more of the club’s fans were filmed tearing down Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Palestinian slogans. Police escorted them into the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Disorder escalated during the match, with taxi drivers attacking a group of fans; one video verified by Reuters appeared to show a car mounting a pavement and run over a Maccabi supporter.

Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema said that “anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads” evaded police and attacked supporters across the city.

Dutch police arrested more than 60 people, with five imprisoned.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s last Europa League game was on 24 September against Greek side PAOK in Thessaloniki, Greece.

About 120 Maccabi fans attended that game and were held behind a police cordon before entering the stadium.

It said a “toxic atmosphere” had put the safety of fans wishing to attend “very much in doubt”.

It continued: “The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount and from hard lessons learned, we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context.

“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”

Starmer wrote on X: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.

“The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We are committed to delivering fair and impartial policing, while balancing the public’s right to protest with our duty to ensure public safety.

“Following a thorough assessment, we have classified the upcoming Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv fixture as high risk.

“While the safety certificate is issued by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending.

“This decision is 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.

“We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”

A club statement on 16 October read: “Aston Villa can confirm the club has been informed that no away fans may attend the Uefa Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6, following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group.

“The Safety Advisory Group are responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors.

“Following a meeting (on Friday) afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and Uefa to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture.

“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.

“The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.”

There is also a counter-protest planned, with a call for fans to gather as a “gesture of solidarity” with the Maccabi team and fans who have been excluded.

West Midlands Police released a statement on social media on Wednesday confirming that supporters planning to attend the fixture on Thursday night will face “multiple ticket checks on the approach to the stadium”.

Birmingham Police commander Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce confirmed that protests are expected to take place on the day, with a plan “to balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham.”

Campaign group Palestine Solidarity Campaign has announced it will hold a protest at the match to demand Israel be excluded from international football due to their actions in Gaza.

The protest will assemble at 6pm at Aston Park Pavilion, a short distance from Villa Park.