Why Maccabi Tel Aviv fans with record of violent rampages were really banned (www.middleeasteye.net)
from pete_link@lemmy.ml to world@lemmy.world on 17 Oct 2025 17:50
https://lemmy.ml/post/37677644

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/37677612

17 October 2025 13:52 BST
Last update: 1040 EDT

Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fans are notorious for stoking violence and disruption in European cities.

Now they have been banned from attending the club’s Europa League match at Aston Villa in England’s Birmingham.

Shortly after the ban was announced on Thursday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned it as the “wrong decision”, criticising West Midlands Police and saying: “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.”

Ministers are now reportedly looking into reversing the ban.

The ban is far from unprecedented. In November 2023 Aston Villa banned fans of another club, Legia Warsaw, from attending the match on the advice of West Midlands Police after supporters of the Polish club engaged in violence.

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have a long track record of causing violence and disruption in European cities.

#world