At least six anti-Israel protesters were arrested at Villa Park, Birmingham, on Thursday following chants of “Death to the IDF,” as well as refusals to comply with police orders to remove facemasks and disperse, according to The Telegraph.
The UEFA Europa League match at Villa Park, Birmingham, between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa, was held under a massive security operation. West Midlands Police clarified that those arrested included a 21-year-old man for failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask, and a 17-year-old boy for failing to comply with a dispersal order.
Three others were arrested for racially aggravated public offenses and one person for a breach of the peace.
Villa Park hosted the UEFA Europa League match where pro-Israeli Jewish protesters, supporting Maccabi Tel Aviv, and denouncing the ban, were placed by British police in a fenced-in basketball court near the Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv, footage on social media showed.
Despite fears of violent clashes after the match was classified as “high risk,” the protests remained largely peaceful after police had deployed more than 700 officers in the center of Birmingham, which has a large Muslim population, and around the stadium.
Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match erupts in violence
Around 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators waved flags, with some chanting anti-Israel slogans.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK shared images showing members of the antizionist group holding signs reading “MACCABI NOT WELCOME,” and “421 PALESTINIAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS KILLED,” while commenting on their social media that “there can be no normalization of a genocidal, apartheid state.”
“Despite repeated appeals from Palestinian officials and global fans, *FIFA has remained silent*, refusing to condemn the killings or take disciplinary action against Israel’s football authorities, a stark contrast to how swiftly it acted against others. *Football cannot claim to stand for unity while ignoring injustice.*” PSC UK wrote in their call to protest the match.
“FIFA FIFA take a stand, Israel football must be banned,” they told members to use a chant.
A smaller pro-Israeli counter-protest of about 40 people carried signs that read “Keep Antisemitism Out of Football” and “No Tolerance for Jew Hatred.” A woman holding up an Israeli flag was led away by police.
Pockets of fans briefly clashed with pro-Palestinian demonstrators shortly before kickoff but were separated by police.
With Israeli sports teams a focus for pro-Palestinian protests during the Israel-Hamas war, and Villa initially saying away fans would be barred on police advice, Maccabi reluctantly opted not to accept tickets for visiting supporters.
Police told Sky News on Thursday that they banned Maccabi fans due to “significant levels of hooliganism” in the fan base jeopardizing safety around the match – rather than threats to visiting Israelis.
“I’m aware there’s a lot of commentary around the threat to the (Maccabi) fans being the reason for the decision. To be clear, that was not the primary driver. That was a consideration,” West Midlands Police Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce told Sky.
“We have intelligence and information that says that there is a section of Maccabi fans, not all Maccabi fans, but a section who engage in quite significant levels of hooliganism.”
Aston Villa won the match 2-0.
Riots at Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam
Last November, more than 60 people were arrested in Amsterdam after clashes around a match between Maccabi and Ajax.
Police said anti-Israeli gangs on scooters chased and beat Maccabi fans. Five people were treated in hospital.
Video verified by Reuters showed Maccabi fans in the days before the game chanting anti-Arab slogans. Police said Maccabi supporters burned a Palestinian flag, pulled down another and vandalized a taxi. The mayor later said she would not host Maccabi again.
