Birmingham

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Manchester police chief criticises decision to ban Maccabi fans

‘I think banning generally is problematic, both practically and tactically’, said Sir Stephen Watson

By Lorin Bell-Cross

2 min read

Greater Manchester Police's Sir Stephen Watson speaking to radio station LBC (Image: LBC/X)

A member of the public holds a protest sign which reads 'Football Shouldn't Cover Up Genocide' outside the stadium prior to the UEFA Europa League match between Aston Villa FC and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park on November 06, 2025 (Getty Images)

Maccabi

West Midlands Police repeat claims ‘trashed by the Dutch police’ in letter to key parliamentary committee

By Lorin Bell-Cross

5 min read

Maccabi

West Midlands Police relied on ‘false intelligence’ for Maccabi ban, say Dutch authorities

By Jane Prinsley

4 min read

Brothers Gali Berman and Ziv Berman who were held hostage in Gaza for more than 700 days celebrate at the Israeli Premier League match between Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv FC. (Photo by Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)

By The JC

Letters to the Editor, November 14 2025

2 min read

Masked activists put up anti-Zionist posters around Birmingham (Picture: Instagram/ deen1fied)

By Phil Rosenberg

Birmingham is the front line of the fight for the soul of our nation

3 min read

Birmingham

Birmingham Labour councillor suggested Starmer is biased in favour of Israel ‘because his wife is Jewish’

By Lorin Bell-Cross

3 min read

Pro-Palestinian protesters outside Villa Park in Birmingham on November 6 (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Revealed: Pro-Palestine mob plotted to hunt down Maccabi players

By Jane Prinsley

2 min read

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Maccabi Tel Aviv may have lost to Villa but they turned up, and showed that the people of Israel live

After filing past hundreds of police officers, the atmosphere in Villa Park stadium was unsettling, with the whole corner of the Doug Ellis stand empty

By Ari Sheldon

2 min read

November 7, 2025 17:14

Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa runs with the ball in front of a half-empty stadium during the match against Maccabi Tel Aviv (Photo: Getty)

Police must explain ‘lamentable’ decisions over Maccabi-Villa match, say politicians

An apparent about-turn over the reason for the ban on Israeli fans ‘smacks of victim-blaming’

By Jane Prinsley

4 min read

November 7, 2025 11:04

West Midlands Police deployed 700 officers for the Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv match (Photo: Getty)

Fifty police officers sent to guard synagogues ahead of Aston Villa match

Jewish community feels ‘targeted and worried’, said one local resident

By Jane Prinsley

3 min read

November 6, 2025 14:36

Police arrive ahead of the Uefa match between Aston Villa and Lille at Villa Park on April (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Anti-Israel activists plaster Birmingham in ‘zionists not welcome’ signs as city braces for Villa-Maccabi clash

West Midlands police are deploying 700 officers to cover the match, with protests against the Israeli team’s participation expected

By Siam Goorwich

2 min read

November 6, 2025 13:48

West Midlands Police to deploy 700 officers for Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv match

The force will use police dogs and a drone unit to ‘maintain Birmingham’s reputation as a safe and welcoming place for everyone’

By Siam Goorwich

2 min read

November 6, 2025 10:58

Former jihadi calls on ‘all Muslims’ to descend on Villa Park – but to leave guns and machetes at home

Shahid Butt added that balaclavas were not necessary either ‘unless you’ve got a bit of a sensitive job’

By Jamie Shapiro

2 min read

November 5, 2025 17:21

Former jihadi Shahid Butt issues advice to Muslims planning to protest the Maccabi-Aston Villa match

By Fiyaz Mughal

Birmingham has a long history of social segregation and Islamism

Britain must decide whether appeasement will continue to masquerade as prudence, or whether we are ready at last to confront Islamist intimidation directly and without apology

4 min read

October 22, 2025 13:31

Asrar Rashid who said 'we will not show them rahma [mercy] in Birmingham (Picture: YouTube/ Asrir Rashid)

Truth about the toxic, fake-news driven campaign to ban Israeli fans from Birmingham

One preacher said ‘we will show them no mercy’

By Jane Prinsley

4 min read

October 22, 2025 09:14

Campaign against the trip to Villa Park by Maccabi fans: Rashid (left), a post by Sadiq (centre) and Khan

Revealed: Anti-Israel views of ‘safety’ committee members who banned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans

Labour’s Waseem Zaffar and Lib Dem Mumtaz Hussain both favoured excluding the Israeli team altogether

By Lorin Bell-Cross

5 min read

October 21, 2025 15:22

Waseem Zaffar MBE (left) and Mumtaz Hussain and Villa Park stadium ahead of a match (Images: Getty, X)

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Birmingham

Manchester police chief criticises decision to ban Maccabi fans

West Midlands Police repeat claims ‘trashed by the Dutch police’ in letter to key parliamentary committee

West Midlands Police relied on ‘false intelligence’ for Maccabi ban, say Dutch authorities

Letters to the Editor, November 14 2025

Birmingham is the front line of the fight for the soul of our nation

Birmingham Labour councillor suggested Starmer is biased in favour of Israel ‘because his wife is Jewish’

Revealed: Pro-Palestine mob plotted to hunt down Maccabi players

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More from Birmingham

Maccabi Tel Aviv may have lost to Villa but they turned up, and showed that the people of Israel live

Police must explain ‘lamentable’ decisions over Maccabi-Villa match, say politicians

Fifty police officers sent to guard synagogues ahead of Aston Villa match

Anti-Israel activists plaster Birmingham in ‘zionists not welcome’ signs as city braces for Villa-Maccabi clash

West Midlands Police to deploy 700 officers for Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv match

Former jihadi calls on ‘all Muslims’ to descend on Villa Park – but to leave guns and machetes at home

Birmingham has a long history of social segregation and Islamism

Truth about the toxic, fake-news driven campaign to ban Israeli fans from Birmingham

Revealed: Anti-Israel views of ‘safety’ committee members who banned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans