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Petition to reverse ban on Maccabi fans outstrips call for exclusion

The counter-petition labelled the ban ‘deeply troubling’ and ‘unjust’

October 20, 2025 14:11
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An empty Villa Park three hours before kick off in the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Arsenal on December 9, 2023 (Image: Getty Images)
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A petition to allow Maccabi Tel Aviv fans to attend Villa Park to watch their team play Aston Villa in November has garnered quadruple the number of signatures as the original petition to ban them.

The decision to bar fans of the Israeli team from the match on November 6 was made by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group, with the backing of West Midlands Police, citing safety concerns.

A petition called for such a move was launched back in September by Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Citing the "ongoing genocide in Gaza" and the need to "protect local communities" such as Aston in Birmingham, the pair called for either fans to be banned or for the game to be called off altogether. It has received just over 4,000 signatures since it was launched.

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