West Midlands Police has publicly confirmed that it significantly overstated evidence received from Dutch authorities and committed a series of other critical errors in its assessments leading up to the high-profile Aston Villa versus Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League fixture. This admission forms part of a damning report that highlights systemic failures in the force's planning and decision-making processes.
Damning Findings from Police Watchdog
The new Acting Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Scott Green, has addressed the troubling conclusions of an HMICFRS investigation into how the force managed the planning, policing, and subsequent response to the Aston Villa versus Maccabi Tel Aviv match. The report reveals multiple instances where evidence was exaggerated or misrepresented.
Overstated Evidence and Intelligence Failures
In a report prepared for next week's Accountability and Governance Board meeting, where the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner will scrutinise the force's actions, West Midlands Police has formally admitted to overstating evidence. The force provided intelligence and assessments to Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group ahead of the highly charged Europa League fixture scheduled for Thursday, November 6.
The police force now acknowledges that it overstated evidence received from Dutch police regarding clashes before and after the Ajax versus Maccabi game in November 2024. This admission appears in a report to be presented by West Midlands Police's chief officer team to the AGB next week.
The report explicitly states: "WMP accepts that we organisationally 'overstated the evidence' within the material which was shared during the third SAG meeting. We are unable to comment further as this matter now falls within the scope of the IOPC investigation."
It further adds: "As we have stated throughout this report, WMP accept that we have 'overstated the evidence' as highlighted by HMICFRS."
Specific Exaggerations Identified
Sir Andy Cooke, chief inspector of HMICFRS, identified eight specific areas where West Midlands Police exaggerated claims in their reports to the Safety Advisory Group. He noted that confirmation bias significantly influenced the force's decision to ban Maccabi fans, describing this as "a tendency to interpret new information as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories."
The exaggerated claims identified in the report include:
- False match reference: The report included reference to a West Ham versus Maccabi Tel Aviv match that never occurred, which former Chief Constable Craig Guildford later confirmed came from using Microsoft Co-Pilot, an AI system now banned from West Midlands Police systems.
- Inflated police numbers: West Midlands Police claimed 5,000 Dutch police officers were required over three days, while Dutch authorities stated the actual number deployed was between 1,200 and 2,000 officers.
- Misrepresented fan background: The force incorrectly stated as fact that over 200 Maccabi fans were part of the Israeli Defence Forces.
- Exaggerated community targeting: Claims that 500-600 Maccabi fans targeted Muslim communities were overstated, with evidence showing individuals were targeted rather than residential communities.
- Flag incidents misrepresented: Reports of hundreds of fans tearing down Palestine flags were exaggerated, with Dutch police confirming only one flag was pulled down and three incidents involving flags were recorded.
- Assault claims inflated: Statements about fans committing serious assaults on Muslim taxi drivers were based on a single reported assault on one taxi driver.
- Inaccurate river incident: Claims that fans threw innocent members of the public into the river were incorrect, with Dutch police reporting one Maccabi supporter was thrown into a canal by pro-Palestinian group members.
- Police injuries overstated: Reports of several Dutch police officers injured during sustained confrontation were inaccurate, with only one officer sustaining hearing loss during the disorder.
Consequences and Ongoing Scrutiny
The Safety Advisory Group confirmed a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans based on West Midlands Police's assessments, with Aston Villa announcing on October 16 that no away fans would be permitted at the match. The club stated this decision followed instruction from the SAG, which holds responsibility for issuing safety certificates.
At the time, West Midlands Police supported the ban, stating: "West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending. This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam."
The controversial ban prompted significant backlash from politicians and intense scrutiny regarding how the decision was reached. This ultimately led to the retirement of former Chief Constable Craig Guildford and the appointment of Acting Chief Constable Scott Green.
Additional Admissions and Failures
Beyond overstating evidence, West Midlands Police has acknowledged several other critical failures in its handling of the situation. The force admits it did not engage early enough with the local Jewish community and should have contacted police forces from countries beyond just the Netherlands ahead of the Aston Villa match.
The report also reveals that West Midlands Police's meetings with Dutch counterparts should have been properly recorded, and one claim about 5,000 Dutch officers being needed to police the Ajax game was conceded to be a mistake based on professional assessment rather than fact.
Despite the away fan ban, a substantial police presence was required on match day to manage protests by pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli groups alongside counter-protests by pro-Israel groups. Some 1,186 officers were deployed to police the protests and the 21,000 home fans in attendance, resulting in eleven arrests.
Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster will receive further details on Tuesday, January 27, while the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, continues assessing West Midlands Police's self-referral regarding this matter. The force has confirmed it is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of its use and policy regarding artificial intelligence systems following the AI-related error in its reporting.
