UK leader Starmer decries decision to ban Israeli soccer team's fans from game at Aston Villa

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BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticized a decision to prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans from attending a Europa League game at Aston Villa next month because of security concerns.

West Midlands Police deemed the Nov. 6 match at Villa Park to be high risk and cited violence and hate crimes that took place when Maccabi Tel Aviv played at Ajax in Amsterdam last season.

“This is the wrong decision,” Starmer said Thursday. “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

Villa earlier said in a statement that police informed the club that “they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.”

The Premier League club added that "the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents (are) at the forefront of any decision.”

West Midlands Police said in a statement it has a “strong track record of successfully policing football matches and other high-risk public events."

“This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offenses that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam,” the police statement read.

“We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”

The game at Villa Park will be Maccabi Tel Aviv's first away match in the Europa League since pro-Palestinian protests took place at the stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece when the club played PAOK on Sept. 24.

About 120 fans of the Israeli club traveled to Greece for that game and were held behind a police cordon before entering the venue.

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans clashed violently with city residents in Amsterdam last season when the team visited for a Europa League game against Ajax.

European soccer body UEFA had been weighing a vote to suspend Israeli teams from its competitions before that was overtaken this month by the ceasefire in Gaza.

The London-based Jewish Leadership Council called Thursday's decision unfair.

“It is perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety. Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors,” the organization said in a statement.

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