West Midlands Police told a safety planning meeting that Jewish groups warned excluding Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match “could be perceived as antisemitic” – weeks before telling MPs the Jewish community backed the ban, according to documents obtained by Sky News.
The revelation comes after the force had to apologise for misleading the Home Affairs Select Committee ahead of its leadership being recalled to be questioned again by MPs on Tuesday.
Emails and meetings related to the contentious ban decision were sent to Sky News by Birmingham City Council after a Freedom of Information request, containing redactions on security grounds.
But they include minutes of the council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) on 16 October – the day the ban on Israeli fans was ratified over the danger posed by them.
There is a section on “community sentiment and impact” attributed to West Midlands Police, which had five representatives on the online Teams meeting.
The minutes say: “Jewish community groups have expressed concern that banning away fans could be perceived as antisemitic, rather than a public safety decision.
“This perception could undermine trust and increase reputational risk for authorities and the club.”
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The minutes reveal concerns from the chair of the SAG, who has not been named, about the potential for “reputational damage” from the decision that was ultimately opposed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who raised the prospect of antisemitism.
There is no suggestion in the minutes that Jewish groups supported the ban, but Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara said that was the case when questioned by the Home Affairs Select Committee on 1 December.
It led to an apology for the “confusion” to the MPs by Chief Constable Craig Guildford, who wrote: “There was never any intention to mislead whatsoever.”
Ahead of the 16 October SAG meeting, WMP wrote to Birmingham City Council. We have a reply from a redacted official from their Birmingham Operations Centre.
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It said: “There is concern over a perception that our safety considerations may be wrongly considered as an anti-Jewish sentiment – I know this isn’t the case, but if you could help me outline this issue and risk from your perspective that would be of great support and help dispel that feeling.”
WMP only revealed their main reason for the ban in an interview with Sky News hours before the match on 6 November, citing Maccabi fans’ hooliganism and concerns about racist violence in 2024 when they played in Amsterdam against Ajax.
The convictions in Amsterdam were for attacks on Maccabi fans by locals but Israelis were also involved in unrest including anti-Arab chants.
In the SAG meetings, West Midlands Police talk about the “potential for disorder” involving Maccabi fans while adding: “Maccabi Tel Aviv’s presence could attract protest and disorder, even outside the football context.”
There are references to the community around Villa Park, which has a large Muslim population.
The game came amid calls for it to be cancelled completely, with campaigners wanting Israeli teams banned from European football over the war in Gaza.
The minutes cite two councillors, Waseem Zaffar and Mumtaz Hussain as believing the “community want it stopped, my concern is the safety of all; from staff, players and those attending.”
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Public statements from the police, council and club did not directly discuss the potential for people being targeted for being Jewish and/or Israeli – an issue in Amsterdam a year earlier.
But the minutes summarise WMP saying privately in the SAG meeting: “Hate crime remains a concern, particularly isolated incidents of antisemitic abuse.”
Councillor Zafar asked: “Any intel to say pro-Israel demonstrations may take place?”
Police replied: “Not that we are aware of.”
Maccabi faced the ban despite having no recent UEFA sanctions for fan misconduct.
But since the Villa match, UEFA has punished Maccabi for anti-Palestinian racist chanting at their match in Germany against Stuttgart, where their fans were allowed to attend last month.
As well as a €20,000 (£17,500) fine, they were handed a suspended ban on being allowed fans at an away match in Europe.
Sky News has approached West Midlands Police but they declined to comment any further.
