Several arrests took place at a soccer match in the UK featuring the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. Although the team’s Israeli fans were not allowed to attend due to security worries, tensions escalated due to anti-Israel protests nearby.
On Thursday, British police revealed that six individuals were detained in connection to the Europa League game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa. Approximately 200 protesters gathered close to Aston Villa Park’s Trinity Road Stand, including members from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, along with some pro-Israel demonstrators.
Palestinian flags and anti-Israel banners were spotted on the ground, as chants in support of Gaza reverberated through the area. West Midlands Police reported a variety of arrests: a 21-year-old for refusing to remove his mask, a 17-year-old for not dispersing, and several for public order offenses tied to racial aggravation.
To manage the situation, police implemented a temporary barrier to control the crowd after some passersby waved Israeli flags. Ahead of the match, five vehicles displaying anti-Semitism messages circulated, including one that read, “No fans, no hate,” paired with a Star of David. Another carried a quote from soccer legend Thierry Henry about the unifying power of the sport.
The atmosphere became even more charged after Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group decided to prohibit visiting fans from attending the match last month— a decision that drew significant criticism, even from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This ban was introduced amid rising concerns about anti-Semitism in the UK, especially following an attack at a Manchester synagogue earlier this month. Calls for boycotting Israeli sports have also intensified among Palestinians and their supporters, driven by the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
West Midlands Police deemed the match high-risk due to prior incidents of violence and hate crimes, including last year’s matches between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, where violence had erupted against Maccabi supporters. Reports indicated that several individuals have already been charged regarding those incidents.
Pro-Palestinian protests are increasingly common in context with Maccabi Tel Aviv’s games this year. This match against Aston Villa was notably the team’s first away game in the Europa League since a similar event transpired in Greece, where protests against the Israeli club unfolded.
