File photo

 

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is considering investigating West Midlands Police for banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending an Aston Villa game. The ban followed reports of hooliganism at previous Maccabi away matches. However, the watchdog is evaluating evidence to decide whether to proceed, citing the case's "sensitivities."

 

The controversy arose from a decision to ban fans from a Birmingham match on 6 November. This was based on intelligence, suggesting violent behaviour linked to earlier matches. Yet, Lord Mann, the government’s adviser on antisemitism, highlighted inaccuracies in the West Midlands Police's intelligence, suggesting some information was altered.

 

The matter escalated when high-ranking police officials appeared before the Home Affairs Committee, repeating these inaccuracies. Meanwhile, the IOPC, which usually investigates cases referred by police forces, is considering using its initiative without a formal referral. This approach is uncommon unless involving serious incidents like police-related deaths or criminal accusations against officers.

 

The IOPC is awaiting a detailed assessment from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services on the risk assessment undertaken by the police. This includes evaluating whether the intelligence used was comprehensive. Moreover, the Home Affairs Committee requested further evidence from the force regarding the appearances of Chief Constable Craig Guildford and Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara.

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fans experienced prior troubles in Amsterdam during a Europa League match against Ajax, which Dutch courts revealed involved violence faced by Israeli fans and reported misconduct on their part. Despite these incidents, West Midlands Police faced backlash, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labeling the ban as antisemitism.

 

The IOPC highlighted the need to understand why the matter was not formally referred, engaging with both the police force and the police and crime commissioner. Meanwhile, Maccabi Tel Aviv faced a €20,000 fine for supporter misconduct, receiving a suspended one-away match ban for incidents on 11 December in Stuttgart, Germany.

 

 

Key Takeaways

• The IOPC is considering investigating West Midlands Police over the Maccabi fan ban.
• The decision to ban fans has been criticised due to alleged inaccuracies in the intelligence used.
• Future steps involve reviewing comprehensive evidence and intelligence assessments.

 

Related story:

Keir Starmer Criticises Ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-12-22

 

 

 

The West Midlands police showing bias, no never, they wouldn't do that?  Would they??

Can't risk upsetting the local "Community Leaders".

1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

The West Midlands police showing bias, no never, they wouldn't do that?  Would they??

Of course not.

West Midlands police force are paragons of honour, integrity and honesty.  

Nothing to see here lad, move along or you will be arrested for *Biff# Pow handcuff the mouthy buggaa

Correct intelligence or not, if there's a hint of potential violence, ban them.

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

Correct intelligence or not, if there's a hint of potential violence, ban them.

 

That doesn't fly in a democracy, but it might in Kier, Stalin Starmer's autocracy.

2 hours ago, tmd5855 said:

Of course not.

West Midlands police force are paragons of honour, integrity and honesty.  

Nothing to see here lad, move along or you will be arrested for *Biff# Pow handcuff the mouthy buggaa

 

https://unherd.com/newsroom/islamic-extremist-network-is-spreading-in-birmingham/

In the op already 2 examples of recent misbehaviour from Maccabi fans.

Uefa should have banned the fans.

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

Correct intelligence or not, if there's a hint of potential violence, ban them.

 

    Then you would have to ban every other teams supporters who have  hint of violence .

That would be a lot of teams to ban 

17 minutes ago, stevenl said:

In the op already 2 examples of recent misbehaviour from Maccabi fans.

Uefa should have banned the fans.

Great idea.

 

Now let’s apply your logic to immigrants.

Wow those uk cops sure like picking on jews

 

my golf buddy told me they help Muslims hide their guns in the temple as well 

 

serious problems over there you guys need a Donald 

 

 

3 hours ago, EastBayRay said:

Wow those uk cops sure like picking on jews

 

my golf buddy told me they help Muslims hide their guns in the temple as well 

 

serious problems over there you guys need a Donald 

 

 

 

I wouldn't take much notice of a ' golf buddy ' 

Withy antisemitism on the rise worldwide, it was probably for their own safety.

 

Football matches are not known for hugging their opponents' supporters.

At the time Maccabi Tel Aviv played Ajax in Holland prior to the Aston Vila match, I saw a number of videos on X where groups of muslims were going up to supporters in the street and asking to see their passports. If Israeli, thery were then beaten up.

5 hours ago, nexus7 said:

At the time Maccabi Tel Aviv played Ajax in Holland prior to the Aston Vila match, I saw a number of videos on X where groups of muslims were going up to supporters in the street and asking to see their passports. If Israeli, thery were then beaten up.

You have watched selective news feeds.

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You have watched selective news feeds.

So you denying that happened?

6 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You have watched selective news feeds.

 

And no doubt your preferred news feed selection was the ones showing Maccabi fans tearing down some Palestinian flags (that weren't there the day before the fans turned up).

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

And no doubt your preferred news feed selection was the ones showing Maccabi fans tearing down some Palestinian flags (that weren't there the day before the fans turned up).

Nope, strange conclusion.

London Israeli embassy press release

Following yesterday's revelations regarding the conduct of West Midlands Police surrounding events involving Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, we are deeply concerned by the emerging evidence.

The newly disclosed assessments indicate that the primary threat to public safety and to the Israeli and Jewish communities did not originate from the fans themselves, but from organised radical Islamist groups who were actively preparing and arming themselves with the intention of harming Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.

The portrayal of Israeli fans as violent was a gross mischaracterisation that served the needs of those actively inciting against an Israeli team.

This framing diverted attention away from credible intelligence warnings regarding extremist elements preparing to target Israeli and Jewish Maccabi supporters, and instead placed blame on the very community that was facing the threat.

The decision to obscure these assessments, and to allow a misleading narrative to take hold, raises serious questions. These acts by law enforcement institutions undermine real security risks, and even encourages a climate in which hostility towards Israeli and Jewish communities can be normalised under the rule of law.

These matters require full accountability.

AI used to reinforce false narratives in Maccabi fan ban – UK Home Affairs Committee report finds

22 February 2026

The report finds that West Midlands Police were overly reliant on inaccurate and unverified information for decision making that proved wholly inadequate to stand up to subsequent scrutiny. Evidence that supported pre-held narratives was readily accepted, while contradictory evidence from authoritative sources was seemingly ignored.

Continued

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/83/home-affairs-committee/news/212026/ai-used-to-reinforce-false-narratives-in-maccabi-fan-ban-report-finds

On 12/23/2025 at 6:04 AM, EastBayRay said:

Wow those uk cops sure like picking on jews

 

my golf buddy told me they help Muslims hide their guns in the temple as well 

 

serious problems over there you guys need a Donald 

 

 

On 12/23/2025 at 9:54 AM, Scouse123 said:

 

I wouldn't take much notice of a ' golf buddy ' 

During the Aug 2024 civil unrest in the UK, sparked by the Southport stabbings, a police officer, speaking through a loudspeaker, told a group of muslim vigilantes gathered outside Darul Falah mosque in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, to leave any weapons behind in the mosque, to prevent arrests:

"If there's any weapons or anything like that, what I would do is discard them in the mosque. You don't give anybody any reason to have an interaction with the police. If there's any weapon, get rid of them. I'm not going to arrest anybody."

https://www.gbnews.com/news/riots-weapons-police-officer-amnesty-stoke

4 hours ago, nexus7 said:

During the Aug 2024 civil unrest in the UK, sparked by the Southport stabbings, a police officer, speaking through a loudspeaker, told a group of muslim vigilantes gathered outside Darul Falah mosque in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, to leave any weapons behind in the mosque, to prevent arrests:

"If there's any weapons or anything like that, what I would do is discard them in the mosque. You don't give anybody any reason to have an interaction with the police. If there's any weapon, get rid of them. I'm not going to arrest anybody."

https://www.gbnews.com/news/riots-weapons-police-officer-amnesty-stoke

Well, isn't that typical of a Muslim police officer?

I wouldn't trust them to run a bath, let alone the nations security.

Be honest. If this had happened to any other group of people, would this story have this level of news coverage?

Couldn't they just have arrested the Macabi fans for being openly Jewish like they threatened to in London?

Or just politely requested the 'diverse' Villa fans leave their weapons in the mosque again?

This could all have been so easily avoided with more 2-tier policing. 😄