Keir Starmer slams Aston Villa decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans | Football | Sport
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch condemned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans being banned from attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park. The club announced the move on Thursday, just 21 days before the Israeli side’s visit to the Premier League venue for European action.
Villa Park’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) has instructed the club that no traveling fans will be allowed to attend as away fans. West Midlands Police cited previous flashpoints, including violent scenes involving Ajax and Maccabi fans last season, as justification for the ban.
But the decision sparked outrage across the political spectrum, with Starmer insisting police must “ensure all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation”. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch went further, calling the decision a “national disgrace”.
Using Prime Minister X (formerly Twitter), he said: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.
“The role of the police is to ensure that all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation.” Villa have released a statement confirming that no away fans will attend the Group Stage match on 6 November, in line with SAG’s directives.
“Aston Villa can confirm that, upon the instructions of the Security Advisory Group, the club has been informed that no away fans will be able to attend the UEFA Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6,” the statement said. “The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park based on a range of physical and safety factors.
“Following this afternoon’s meeting, SAG has formally written to the club and UEFA to advise that no away fans will be allowed to attend Villa Park for this match. “West Midlands Police have advised SAG that there are public safety concerns outside the stadium and that they will be able to deal with any possible protests overnight.
“The club is in constant dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities throughout the ongoing process, and the safety of fans attending the match and the safety of the local community is at the forefront of any decision.”
A representative from West Midlands Police confirmed they supported the decision and that the police were “committed to supporting all affected communities and have always reaffirmed our zero tolerance stance on hate crime”.
The statement said: “West Midlands Police supports the decision to ban fans from attending. This decision is based on available intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offenses during a 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
“Based on our professional judgment, we believe this measure will help reduce risks to public safety.”
