"Aston Villa told matchday stewards they would not have to work during the club's Europa League fixture against the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv, citing possible concerns over safety, it has been reported. West Midlands policedecided to ban Maccabi fans from the forthcoming match, after saying the force would not be able to police the fixture safely owing to violent clashes and hate crime offences at a previous match in Amsterdam in 2024."
"The BBC reported that Villa had informed stewards they had permission to skip their duties on the day of the fixture, Thursday 6 November, before the decision to ban fans was made by police. In an email apparently sent on 3 October, stewards were told that regarding the upcoming fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv we appreciate that some of you may have concerns about attending work, the broadcaster reported."
Aston Villa told matchday stewards they would not have to work the club's Europa League fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv, citing safety concerns and offering a one-off absence request that would not affect contractual minimum attendance of 80%. The club set a four-day deadline for absence requests. West Midlands Police classified the fixture as high risk based on intelligence and banned Maccabi supporters after referencing violent clashes and hate crime offences during a 2024 Amsterdam match between Ajax and Maccabi, where over 60 arrests occurred. The Home Office offered extra support to police and a Birmingham safety advisory group meeting has been scheduled.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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