The Europa League clash between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv was more than just a football match. It was a British capitulation to radical Islamist thuggery and a reflection on the state of our nation. It was also a microcosm of how Israel is treated on the world’s stage.

The match at Villa Park was unique because the Israeli team’s fans were banned from attending. The local Safety Advisory Group in Birmingham deemed the game “high risk” and, as a result, Israelis were banned. The real reason came out just hours before, because the authorities believed there was “significant hooliganism” amongst Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fans.

Just as Israel is falsely accused on the world stage, by the UN or by international courts, once again this Israeli team was being wrongly accused by a local British authority.

When Maccabi Tel Aviv played Ajax in Amsterdam almost a year ago, the fans of Maccabi and Ajax were friendly with each other. There was no violence, and the game was uneventful. However, there was strong opposition to the presence of an Israeli team in the Dutch capital, and as a result, anti-Israel activist groups,  including radical Muslims, went to the match to provoke Israeli fans.

CUFI’s Alastair and Alex spoke about it on the For Zion’s Sake podcast and labelled what happened a “modern-day pogrom”. Israeli supporters, long after the match, were hunted down and attacked. Some were beaten and knocked unconscious, and women were pleading for their safety because anti-Israel activists were roaming the streets attacking anyone who looked or sounded Israeli.

Israelis were the victims in Amsterdam, yet the media portrayed it as Israelis being the problem. It was a lie.

The false information about that night influenced the British authorities’ decision to ban Israelis in the UK. However, it’s far more likely that this wasn’t about safety at all, and more driven by either anti-Israel hatred or fear of those who hate Israel.

According to a 2021 census, around 30 per cent of Birmingham’s 1.1 million population is Muslim, and the city has seen frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Could it be that the authorities were concerned they couldn’t keep Israelis safe?

The Jewish Chronicle reported that police patrols around Birmingham’s synagogues, far away from the football stadium, were increased amid fears that tensions linked to the match.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We have 50 officers carrying out community patrols across the city. This includes visits to synagogues and mosques but also Villa Park and around the city centre.”

Whatever the reason for banning Israelis, it was a wrongful decision that played into the hands of the antisemites, and we condemn it wholeheartedly.

But this type of incident should not surprise us. Antisemitism and hatred of Israel are rising globally, and sadly that includes in the UK. And there are parts of British society that express open hatred for Israel and Jews that the UK government seems unwilling to address.

As mentioned before, anti-Israel activists, particularly radicalised young Muslim men, make it a habit of protesting anything relating to Israel. They are the ones stirring up hatred and seeking violence.

In fact, online groups allegedly linked with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) were putting out messages to find the Israeli players so they could be attacked.

The Maccabi team had arrived at Villa Park at around 3pm, on security advice. It meant players and coaching staff had to spend three extra hours at the stadium compared to their opponents. As Maccabi coach Zarko Lazetic observed to reporters after the match, “It’s not normal… Sitting. Nothing (to do).”

There were multiple angles to the protests against Israel. They hate Israel, pure and simple. They want Israel to be wiped out and not exist, let alone be allowed to play football. They were protesting against the presence of the Israeli team, but they were also protesting against Aston Villa for not boycotting the game.
Aston Villa fans also came under attack from anti-Israel protesters. It should be pointed out that the vast majority of Aston Villa fans were not against Tel Aviv. It was anti-Israel activists against everyone else.

Some Aston Villa supporters warned others not to attend the event because there would be violence. Children and families were specifically cautioned to stay away, and as a result, there was a noticeable number of empty seats in the stadium.

This caution wasn’t without wisdom though. Villa fans did come under attack. Projectiles were thrown by Palestinian activists at Aston Villa supporters. But even the intimidating presence of protesters would put families off attending.

Antisemitism was on full display.

A hooded member of a pro-Palestinian gang standing outside Villa Park stadium launched into a vicious antisemitic rant ahead of tonight’s Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv match, declaring: “Free Palestine and f*** every Jew on site.”

Explaining why he was there, the youth added that he wanted to “get Palestine back” and said the Maccabi players should “get f***ed too”.

There were chants of “Death to the IDF” and other antisemitic slogans being thrown around. Football fans often get a bad rep, but this sort of hatred is not a normal part of football.

Football fans are regular people who just want to see the team they love playing the sport they love.

A popular feeling amongst fans is that football should be neutral. “Keep politics out of football” is a common viewpoint. The authorities, instead of banning Israeli fans, should have banned the protesters. Football fans from both teams were stopped from going to their game because of intimidation and hatred.

Not all fans were intimidated. Most just ignored them and. Also, a fairly large group of Aston Villa fans was seen chanting against the protesters. Telling them they didn’t care about “Palestine” and to “get lost” in not-so-pleasant language. There was even a food van that sold pork products placed in the area as an apparent provocation set up by some Villa fans.

It seems a lot of these fans were just fed up of having the thing they love ruined by antisemitic haters of Israel. Something that many Brits can relate to, as anti-Israel activists have infiltrated so many parts of society, and so many public events and occasions are disrupted by their hatred.

The entire thing is a microcosm of what has been happening for years.

Anti-Israel protesters spread hate. Regular people just wanting to get on with their lives are instead having their enjoyment ruined, and are instead intimidated and threatened. The atmosphere inside the stadium too was not the best. The lack of away fans really dampens the mood, the stadium is missing its family-friendly element, and most fans felt sorry for Maccabi Tel Aviv because they don’t agree with the ban.

Watching the Israeli team play in front of an entire crowd that is not supporting them is indicative of how Israel is having to fight its battles alone while the rest of the world watches on. Something that speaks volumes for how Israel is fighting its own battles against multiple enemies that want to wipe them out.

Meanwhile, even a simple football match results in Israelis being vilified in the media, falsely accused, and further marginalised.

It is also extremely shameful that this happened on British soil. Britain is a friend of Israel, it is a Western nation with laws to protect people of all religions, genders, and nationalities. Yet, Israeli fans are not even safe to visit here and attend a football match without violence and intimidation, or now, without authorities themselves banning them. It is a failure on multiple fronts, and it comes from the top.

This football match held up a mirror to Britain — and it is an ugly sight. Our once open and tolerant country is unsafe for Israelis. We are supposed to “Kick Racism Out of Football”, but antisemitism is not included in that, it seems. Likewise, our open and tolerant society is less tolerant of Jews than it is of antisemites and radical haters of Israel.

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