October 20, 2025
Israeli Police have cancelled the Tel Aviv derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel on Sunday night, citing “violent riots” and “risks to human life”. Thirteen civilians and three officers were injured by pyrotechnic devices hurled inside Bloomfield Stadium, with footage showing flares raining down and riot police forced into defensive formations.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has placed political pressure West Midlands Police to reverse their decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the upcoming Europa League clash at Villa Park. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch has also criticised the decision.
Should the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leader of the conservatives Kemi Badenoch now apologise for screaming "Anti-Semitism" over West Midlands Police and Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group's decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Aston Villa Park next month? pic.twitter.com/6SPpRFbeDD
— Jam Radio UK News (@Jam_RadioUK) October 20, 2025
Political Interference vs Policing Intelligence
West Midlands Police classified the November 6 fixture as “high risk,” citing “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences” involving Maccabi fans in Amsterdam. Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group backed the ban, prioritizing the safety of local residents and match attendees.
But Starmer, in a highly unusual move, condemned the ban. In his public statement, he called the decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group and West Midlands Police “the wrong decision” and added, “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets”. His statement has sparked outrage among community leaders and civil rights advocates, who accuse him of undermining operational policing for political optics.
In a interview with Politics West Midlands on Sunday, local MP Ayoub Khan warned that importing Maccabi’s fanbase into Birmingham risks turning Villa Park into a flashpoint for international tensions. “If Russian teams are banned for atrocities in Ukraine, why the double standard with Israeli teams?” Khan asked.
“If Russian teams are banned for atrocities in Ukraine, why the double standard with Israeli teams?” Ayub Khan cites safety concerns & moral consistency in opposing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Birmingham Aston Villa. #FIFAWorldCup #UEFA #Gaza #SportSanctions #AstonVilla #Polmids… pic.twitter.com/5EjL53lItj
— Jam Radio UK News (@Jam_RadioUK) October 19, 2025
From Amsterdam to Tel Aviv: A Pattern of Violence
The Tel Aviv derby cancellation is not an isolated incident. Maccabi fans were previously involved in violent clashes in Amsterdam during a Europa League match against Ajax, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli supporters clashed in scenes described as “chaotic and incendiary”.
In Thessaloniki, Greece, Maccabi fans were held behind police cordons after chanting slogans that included references to “kneecapping” opponents—a term historically associated with paramilitary violence. These chants, documented in multiple European fixtures, have drawn condemnation from UEFA observers and human rights monitors.
Chants of Defiance vs Chants of Hate
The controversy surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fanbase isn’t just about violence—the nature of their chants. In Amsterdam and Thessaloniki, Maccabi supporters were documented chanting slogans that glorified death and violence. These chants have been described by observers as incitements to racial hatred and physical violence.
Contrast this with the performance of Bob Vylan at Glastonbury where crowds led in chants of “deat, death to the IDF” during his headline set.
Yet Starmer, who condemned chants at Glastonbury set as “inappropriate,” now cheerleads for Maccabi fans to be welcomed into Birmingham—despite their record of hate speech and riotous behavior.
The hypocrisy is glaring. But now that Maccabi Fans have once again shown their true colours in the run up to the fixture at Villa Park, Will the Prime Minister now apologise and stand by West Midlands Police.
