West Midlands Police's newly appointed acting chief constable has made a firm commitment to address the significant damage caused by the force's controversial decision to prohibit Israeli football supporters from attending a match in Birmingham. Scott Green, who assumed the role last week following the departure of Craig Guildford, has declared that rebuilding trust with local communities represents a critical priority in the wake of this damaging episode.
A Critical Incident Declared
On his very first day in command, Green took the significant step of declaring a 'critical incident'. This action underscored the severe impact the affair has had on community relations and the force's public reputation. The controversy stems from the handling of the Maccabi Tel Aviv versus Aston Villa match at Villa Park last November, where away fans were banned.
Safety Concerns and Political Backlash
The original decision to exclude the Israeli supporters was made by the Birmingham City Council-chaired Safety Advisory Group, based on police advice citing public safety concerns. Officers had raised alarms about the hooligan reputation associated with some Maccabi 'ultras', alongside potential risks of protest and backlash from pro-Palestine and other community groups.
This ban triggered immediate and widespread criticism, notably from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who labelled it the "wrong decision". The situation escalated further when Home Secretary and Birmingham MP Shabana Mahmood expressed no confidence in former chief constable Guildford. This followed a damning interim report from the policing watchdog, which uncovered multiple errors and poor governance within the force's handling of the matter.
Addressing the Damage and Loss of Trust
Speaking at the Police and Crime Commissioner's accountability and governance board, chaired by PCC Simon Foster, Acting Chief Constable Green openly acknowledged the pain and damage inflicted. He stated, "The direct impact of our actions has been a loss of the trust and confidence from the public in the West Midlands, more specifically, I know we have damaged our relationship with individuals and the Jewish community, locally, nationally and internationally."
Green revealed he had recently met with members of the Jewish community and was "personally saddened" to hear firsthand about the impact of the force's actions. He praised their courage and resilience, committing to "taking immediate action to focus on repairing the damage that has resulted in a loss of confidence in policing."
New Measures and Operational Changes
As part of the recovery plan, the force has introduced several new measures. A key commitment is to ensure that all reports of hate crimes, including those linked to antisemitism, will be reviewed by specially-trained detectives. Acting deputy chief constable Jennifer Mattinson admitted that engagement with the local Jewish community in the planning stages before the match was "not started early enough".
Mattinson also highlighted a series of regrettable errors, including the failure to properly record a virtual meeting with Dutch police commanders who had shared insights about previous trouble involving Maccabi fans in Amsterdam. The force did not independently review what was discussed nor seek information from other forces that had hosted the Israeli team.
In response to the debacle, the force has launched Operation Strive. This initiative includes a commitment to deliver antisemitism training for all staff and to examine organisational bias. Furthermore, the force has suspended its use of Microsoft's AI assistant, Copilot, after it was discovered that a report contained an 'AI hallucination' referencing a non-existent match.
Ongoing Investigations and Transparency
During the hearing, Green declined to answer specific questions regarding police intelligence about potential terrorism threats or claims that local people might 'arm themselves' if Israeli fans attended. He explained this was to avoid prejudicing ongoing investigations by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), to which he made a voluntary referral on his first day.
"It is my intention, throughout this board and our subsequent approach, to answer every question with as much transparency and candour as I can," Green stated. He also confirmed his full acceptance of the findings in the HMICFRS interim report, which noted that confirmation bias had influenced the force's tactical decisions and that evidence had been overstated.
A Pledge for the Future
While asserting that the force performs well in most areas of its work, Green conceded that "better local engagement from the outset would have made a real difference" to the outcome. Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster emphasised that such a situation "must never happen again", defending the decision not to immediately dismiss the former chief constable due to potential legal complications.
The force now faces the substantial task of operational recovery and community reconciliation, with a clear focus on restoring public confidence through improved engagement, rigorous hate crime procedures, and greater organisational accountability.
