"Tension is building around Villa Park ahead of tonight's Europa League game between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. No Maccabi fans will be in attendance, officially at least, after the local Safety Advisory Group decided one of the stipulations for the issuing of a safety certificate would be a blanket ban on Israeli supporters. The reasoning was the prospect of clashes with pro-Palestine supporters over the situation in Gaza which continues to rumble on despite an uneasy ceasefire currently in operation."
"A coalition of six pro-Palestinian organisations are planning to protest around the ground tonight, leading to a huge police presence with over 700 officers lining the streets. One Villa fan, Mike Earp, told the Birmingham Mail: 'I did feel apprehension about what might unfold. The atmosphere around the ground is nothing like it usually is. I haven't seen anything like this since 1970s, when hooliganism was quite rife.'"
Tension is building around Villa Park ahead of the Europa League fixture between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. No Maccabi fans will attend after the local Safety Advisory Group imposed a blanket ban on Israeli supporters as a condition of the safety certificate. The ban aims to reduce the risk of clashes with pro-Palestine demonstrators amid continued concerns about the Gaza situation despite an uneasy ceasefire. A coalition of six pro-Palestinian organisations plans protests around the ground, prompting a major policing operation with over 700 officers deployed. Some fans report apprehension, fewer vendors and altered pre-match routines. Kick-off is at 8pm.
Read at 101GREATGOALS.COM
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