MPs Demand Accountability from West Midlands Police Over Maccabi Tel Aviv Match Ban

Members of Parliament have called for West Midlands Police (WMP) to provide a comprehensive account regarding the alleged exaggeration of intelligence that resulted in the ban of Israeli fans from attending their match against Aston Villa.

A report from the Sunday Times indicated that WMP had inflated the perceived threat posed by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans prior to the match scheduled for November 6, referencing violent incidents that occurred during a game in the Netherlands the previous year.

In light of these claims, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp asserted that if WMP cannot provide a satisfactory explanation, Chief Constable Craig Guildford should consider resigning. Home Office Minister Sarah Jones mentioned that she had reached out to the Chief Constable for clarification on the matter.

WMP has stood by its assessment, stating that its response was “proportionate” to the situation. The article from the Sunday Times noted that an intelligence report used by the police described some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans as “highly organized, skilled fighters with a serious desire and will to engage in violence against police and rival groups.”

Additionally, the report alleged that 500 to 600 of these fans had targeted Muslim communities in Amsterdam and that there were claims of fans being thrown into a river, which Dutch police have reportedly denied.

During a session in the Commons, Conservative MP Nick Timothy pressed for the release of all intelligence documents related to the ban, as well as the evidence reviewed by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which played a pivotal role in imposing restrictions on away fans for the match on November 6.

Philp urged the government to hold West Midlands Police accountable, stating, “The characterization of Maccabi fans as skilled and organized fighters is unfounded; it appears to be fabricated.”

Jones confirmed to MPs that she had contacted WMP to investigate the situation thoroughly, and the Home Office has requested His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services to conduct a broader inquiry into the processes surrounding safety assessments.

She noted that WMP is undertaking a review of the events leading up to the match and will publish a detailed timeline outlining the decisions made and the rationale behind the recommendations provided to the SAG.

In response to the claims reported by the Sunday Times, a WMP spokesperson stated, “West Midlands Police’s evaluation was primarily informed by intelligence and aimed at ensuring public safety. We assessed the prior fixture between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam as having resulted in significant public disorder. Our team met with Dutch police on October 1, during which information regarding that 2024 fixture was shared.”

The police concluded that a subset of Maccabi fans posed a “credible threat to public safety,” affirming, “We believe that our policing strategy and operational plan were effective, proportionate, and maintained the city’s reputation as a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

Additionally, a Green Party councillor remarked that the ongoing issues stemming from the Birmingham bin strike are a “joke.”

Chief Constable Craig Guildford made these statements during the opening of a new police station in Dudley. Inspectors have also indicated that West Midlands Police must improve its information-gathering methods concerning at-risk youth. Meanwhile, Birmingham residents have been without kerbside recycling collections for nearly a year, and a man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender following the death of Yassin Alama on Sunday.