Football: Tel Aviv fans banned from Aston Villa Match
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
It has been reported that fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv FC have been banned from attending the UEFA Europa League match in Birmingham, UK, with Aston Villa FC on 6 November on security grounds.
The West Midlands Police have classified the match as “high-risk”. This was based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including "violent clashes and hate crime offences" between fans of Ajax FC and the Israeli Club before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024.
As a result, more than 60 people were arrested, city officials describing the violence as a "toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger" over the war in Gaza, Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East.
The decision to ban fans from the Aston Villa FC match has been condemned by the leaders of the main political parties in the UK, including the Prime Minister, and calls have been made for the decision to be overturned.
Aston Villa FC have stated that they are in "continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities," with the safety of supporters and local residents "at the forefront of any decision".
UEFA, the governing body of European football have stated that they want fans to be able to travel and support their team in a "safe, secure and welcoming environment".
And added:
"In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory."
Certainly, it is a case of the Roman lawyer and philosopher Cicero’s legal maxim: ‘salus populi suprema lex’: ‘the safety of the people is the highest law’!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
