"Residents and business owners living around Aston Villa's stadium have expressed anxieties before the club's Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday. More than 700 police officers will be deployed, along with police horses, police dogs and a drone unit, with protests expected by different groups, West Midlands police said. This comes weeks after Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group announced its decision to ban Maccabi fans from attending on public safety grounds after police classified the match as high risk, sparking controversy."
"On the streets of Aston, and close to the Villa stadium, lamp-posts are covered with Palestinian flags and some local businesses display posters of a rally scheduled on Thursday in support of Palestine and calling for Israel to be suspended from Uefa and Fifa. Abul Lase, who owns an accountancy firm in Aston, said someone had approached him to ask whether they could display the poster in his window."
More than 700 police officers, police horses, police dogs and a drone unit will be deployed for the Europa League fixture between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv as protests by different groups are expected. Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group banned Maccabi fans from attending on public safety grounds after police classified the match as high risk, prompting criticism and calls to overturn the decision. Political figures described the ban as wrong and a national disgrace. Local streets near the stadium display Palestinian flags and posters promoting a pro-Palestine rally. Local residents and business owners expressed anxiety, with some supporting the protest and others declining to attend. Police cited current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent incidents, when designating the match high risk.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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