UK police face pressure to reverse ban on Israeli soccer fans at Birmingham matchhttps://apnews.com/article/maccabi-tel-aviv-aston-villa-fan-ban-95b6618944a36b2a8ab88766935be694LONDON (AP) — Pressure mounted Friday on police authorities in the English city of Birmingham to reverse a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans attending a Europa League game at Aston Villa next month over security concerns, a decision that drew widespread condemnation.
Behind the scenes, the government was seeking to resolve the row, which comes at a time of heightened worries about antisemitism in Britain following a deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue earlier this month and calls from Palestinians and their supporters for a sports boycott of Israel over its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the police recommendation to bar the visiting team’s fans from the Nov. 6 game was “the wrong decision” and that “the role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Starme
should have said, "
WTF are you thinking?!" The Maccabi Tel Aviv team should give the Europa League a three-way choice: Their fans attend freely, with proper security; the match is moved if Birmingham refuses; if neither, all Israeli teams very publicly refuse to participate in the league.
Antisemitism is skyrocketing in EuroLand, and
not "just" Muslim immigrants (many of whom simply want a better life, not to persecute Jews).
