More than 700 officers to police Villa-Maccabi match

As more than 700 police officers prepare to conduct an operation for Aston Villa’s Uefa Europa League clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv, there have been reports of disruption warnings issued by the police.

West Midlands Police announced that officers will be operating on Thursday to protect the public and prevent crime and disorder, along with road policing officers, police dogs, and drone units.

Supporters of Palestine are among the planned protests, which include one calling for the end of the game.

Ch Supt Tom Joyce, the head of Birmingham Police, stated: “We know that protests from various groups will take place on the day, and we have plans in place to strike a balance between our duty to protect all Birmingham communities.”

Mr. Joyce claimed that officers had worked closely with various faith and neighborhood organizations to listen to their concerns and opinions and were experienced policing high-profile football games and demonstrations for many weeks.

He stated, “We want to make sure everyone in Birmingham is safe while planning for this game so that people can enjoy the football game.”

West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign chair Naeem Malik claimed that the Israeli team’s hosting had caused a national outcry.

Despite the risks that accompany it, calls to cancel this game have been ignored, he said, so we must call on all activists to unite in protest.

Because the Israeli team was involved in Israel’s infrastructure in the occupied West Bank, he claimed the Israelis were “directly involved in the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”

A UN commission of inquiry in September found that Israel had committed a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza with justifications for the finding that four out of five genocidal acts had been committed.

According to Mr. Malik, the pro-Palestine protest will continue throughout the match, with groups chanting peacefully together.

In a Europa League game between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in November 2024, it became apparent that West Midlands Police had labeled the encounter as “high risk,” citing “violent clashes and hate crimes offences” when the ban was in place.

Anti-Palestinian chants, racial slurs, and damage to infrastructure were also highlighted by organizations planning to stage protests on Thursday, according to groups that will also highlight events in Amsterdam.

The Palestine Academy’s Abu Umaymah described the match as unacceptable because of the team’s “complicity in the ongoing genocide” as well as the “racist behavior of the team’s supporters.