Senior police and council officials in Birmingham are facing intense questioning from MPs today, as newly released documents reveal the intelligence behind the controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match against Aston Villa.
The Intelligence Behind the Controversial Decision
West Midlands Police chiefs held genuine fears that the presence of the Israeli team's supporters in the city last November would trigger mass violence and intimidation. According to newly published documents, this potential disorder was expected to involve armed protesters, far-right thugs, and racist Israeli Ultras.
The documents, released under Freedom of Information rules, show that from as early as September, police had picked up intelligence that "elements of the community in the West Midlands (were) wanting to ‘arm’ themselves" in connection to the match. By September 18, they had high-confidence intelligence regarding a serious threat, though the specifics remain undisclosed.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford, Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara, and Chief Inspector Mick Wilkinson are due to appear before the Home Affairs Committee. They will be joined by Birmingham City Council leader Councillor John Cotton and senior council executives Richard Brooks and Anthony Cox.
A Decision That Sparked a National Backlash
The match on November 6, 2025, ultimately passed off relatively peacefully, with 11 arrests and no injuries among hundreds of protesters outside Villa Park. Aston Villa won the match 2-0.
However, the decision to ban away fans triggered global headlines, urgent questions in Parliament, and calls for the force's Chief Constable to be sacked amid claims of antisemitism. The backlash was led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who condemned it as 'the wrong decision' and suggested it was potentially antisemitic.
Minutes from a Safety Advisory Group meeting on October 26 reveal that police believed the Prime Minister's public intervention on social media platform X had "escalated the situation". They reported that risks had increased, community tensions were exacerbated, and public discourse had become polarised.
Escalating Threats and Political Scrutiny
The national spotlight led to agitator Tommy Robinson pledging to attend, alongside other far-right protesters, Chelsea FC 'Ultras', and English Defence League (EDL) backers. Pro-Palestine protests and counter-protests in support of Maccabi Tel Aviv were also being planned.
Police stated the city had moved from a "tension" phase to "planning for disorder". They argued that banning violent away fans was not unprecedented, citing similar bans on Lazio, Rangers, and Frankfurt fans in other European fixtures.
A rapid review of the decision by Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the national lead on football policing, noted a missed opportunity. He said informing the Home Secretary by October 8 provided "a window of opportunity for Government to raise concerns and offers of support before this became such a high-profile public issue."
The police ultimately concluded that "the only option that reduces the threat significantly is to have no Maccabi fans at all," rejecting even a small, controlled ticket allocation. They warned that lifting the ban would require significant mutual aid from forces across the UK and that the risk of serious disorder remained realistic and imminent.
