Heavy Police Presence In Birmingham As Protests Erupt At Aston Villa Vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Match

07 Nov 2025, 12:04 by Ernest Victor · Naija News

The Europa League meeting between Premier League club, Aston Villa and Israeli club, Maccabi Tel Aviv was overshadowed by tense scenes outside Villa Park on Thursday night, as hundreds of demonstrators gathered in one of the most tightly policed football operations in recent memory.

More than 700 police officers were deployed across the city as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups staged rival protests before kick-off. The heightened security followed Villa’s decision to bar some supporters from attending the match, a move that had already stirred political debate and public anger.

West Midlands Police confirmed that eleven people were arrested during the evening. Among them were five detained on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences.

A 21-year-old man was arrested after allegedly attempting to throw fireworks into the ground, while another was taken into custody for possession of drugs with the intent to supply. A teenage boy, aged 17, was arrested for ignoring a dispersal order, and another man was detained for refusing to remove his face mask.

Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce, who led the operation, said the massive security response was unavoidable given the scale of interest surrounding the fixture.

“We police football matches a lot. We police protests a lot. We deal with all sorts of public order scenarios, but certainly the level of interest, the level of concern around this match is pretty unprecedented,” he said.

Shortly before the 8 p.m. kick-off, minor scuffles broke out as fans made their way past crowds of protesters and into the stadium. Outside, pro-Palestinian demonstrators waved flags and held banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza.

Nearby, a smaller group of pro-Israeli supporters held a counter-protest, with five trucks circling the area carrying large electronic billboards. One displayed the message “Ban hatred not fans” beside a Star of David, while another quoted Thierry Henry: “Football is not about goals but bringing people together.”

The unrest followed a controversial decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group to prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending, citing police intelligence that warned of potential violence. According to The Guardian, authorities believed the main threat came from extremist elements among Israeli supporters with a history of disorder and racist chanting.

The move sparked heated debate in Parliament, with some MPs questioning the police’s judgment, but Chief Constable Craig Guildford defended the ban, calling it a necessary step to keep the public safe.

Maccabi Tel Aviv later announced that their supporters would not travel to Birmingham “for safety reasons.”

Police officers from ten other forces were brought in to support West Midlands Police on the night. Section 60 powers, which allow officers to stop and search anyone, were introduced across a wide area stretching from Aston to the city centre from midday until the early hours of Friday.

Chief Supt Joyce told Sky News the restriction on away fans was due to “significant levels of hooliganism” linked to some Maccabi supporters.

Businesses and schools near Villa Park closed early as the city prepared for the evening.

Despite the tension, the match went ahead as planned, watched over by one of the largest police operations Birmingham has ever seen. Aston Villa won 2-0.