"West Midlands Police said it had classified the match as high risk based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam. Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety, the police force said at the time."
"The decision was ultimately approved by Birmingham City Council's Safety Advisory Group (SAG), a multi-agency body that brings together police, local authorities and emergency services to assess safety risks at major events. There was a public outcry, and numerous media opinion pieces called the ban anti-Semitic. That pressure has since intensified. Last week, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood publicly stated that she had lost confidence in Guildford following criticism by a police watchdog of how the ban was handled. Guildford resigned on Friday."
Political pressure from pro-Israel lobby groups led to the resignation of Craig Guildford, chief constable of West Midlands Police, after a recommendation to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Birmingham Europa League match. West Midlands Police classified the match as high risk based on intelligence and prior violent clashes and hate crime offences during the 2024 Ajax–Maccabi match in Amsterdam. The ban was approved by Birmingham City Council's Safety Advisory Group as a public safety measure. Public outcry and media accusations of anti‑Semitism intensified, and the Home Secretary said she lost confidence after a watchdog criticised the handling of the ban. Observers warn that politicisation of policing decisions threatens democratic norms.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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