"When Maccabi Tel Aviv were drawn to face Aston Villa in the Europa League, the fixture immediately stood out. The prospect of an Israeli team travelling to play a club based in a predominantly Muslim area prompted concerns from those in charge of ensuring the fixture passes off safely. Six weeks ago, there was even a chance the game might not go ahead, with calls for Israeli teams to be removed from international competitions because of the Israel-Gaza war."
"Before every football fixture, the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) assesses the need for police presence plus any possible restrictions that might be needed - including to the total capacity or number of visiting supporters. For Thursday's match, the SAG had to take into account a number of considerations, including an assessment from West Midlands Police which classified the fixture as high-risk."
A ceasefire allowed Maccabi Tel Aviv, the only Israeli club to reach the Europa League league stage this season, to remain in the competition and plan travel to Birmingham. The match attracted attention because Aston Villa is based in a predominantly Muslim area, raising safety concerns. The local Safety Advisory Group relied on a West Midlands Police assessment that classified the fixture as high-risk and led to a ban on Maccabi supporters. Police cited current intelligence and previous incidents, including violence and hate crimes at a prior Ajax–Maccabi match. The supporter ban prompted political criticism, and Maccabi rejected ticket offers citing a toxic atmosphere and doubts about fan safety. More than 700 police officers were scheduled to be deployed.
Read at www.bbc.com
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