Blocking Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending an Aston Villa match is the “wrong decision”, the prime minister has said.
Followers of the Israeli team will not be allowed to attend the Europa League match on 6 November because of safety concerns, the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches said on Thursday.
Sir Keir Starmer criticised the move, saying “we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets” and that the role of police was “to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch branded the decision a “national disgrace” and suggested Sie Keir should act to reverse it.
She wrote on X that Starmer should “guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country”.
“If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.”
West Midlands Police said the game had been classified as high risk based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including “violent clashes and hate crime offences” between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024.
The force said it had concerns about its ability to deal with potential protests at the match at Villa Park.
