The Jewish Leadership Council slammed the move as “perverse,” saying if police can’t keep fans safe, the match should just be played behind closed doors.By World Israel News StaffSupporters of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not be allowed to attend next month’s Europa League clash against Aston Villa in Birmingham, following advice from local police and safety authorities.Aston Villa confirmed on Thursday that “no away fans may attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6,” citing “a number of physical and safety factors.”The decision followed a meeting of Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which includes representatives from West Midlands Police, the city council, emergency services, and the club itself.“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night,” Villa said in a statement.“The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.”Sources told The Athletic that the fixture has been classified as “high risk” based on intelligence and “previous incidents,” including violent clashes during Maccabi’s match against Ajax in Amsterdam last year.That game saw 62 arrests and five hospitalizations after what Dutch police described as “outbursts of violence toward Israeli supporters.”A Birmingham City Council spokesperson confirmed that “a multi-agency meeting was held with all relevant partners to assess safety arrangements for the upcoming fixture,” and that concerns raised by police led to “a collective decision… to restrict away fan attendance.”The decision has drawn sharp criticism from British officials and Jewish groups.Lord Austin, the UK government’s trade envoy to Israel, said he was “appalled” by what he described as police capitulation “to a campaign by troublemakers.” “It looks like they have abdicated their responsibility to ensure people can go about their lawful business safely,” Austin said in a statement to The Telegraph.“Birmingham is a great international city. It welcomes visitors from all over the world and they must be able to come in safely. This has major implications for future fixtures, including the European Championship in 2028.”The Jewish Leadership Council also condemned the move, calling it “perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety,” and suggested the game should instead be played behind closed doors.The ban comes amid heightened tensions across Europe following months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, despite the recent ceasefire agreement.Authorities in Birmingham reportedly took into account warnings over possible protests and online threats. Concerns were amplified after Birmingham-based cleric Asrar Rashid posted a video on X vowing that “we will not show mercy to Maccabi Tel Aviv fans traveling to Birmingham.”The clip, widely circulated online, was condemned by Jewish groups as incitement.David Mencer, spokesperson for the Israeli government, called the ban “an extremely sad state of affairs for Britain,” telling LBC radio that “Jews and Israelis would feel unsafe or unable to go to a football match on the streets of the UK. This is a problem Britain must face up to.”UEFA rules normally require home teams to allocate at least five percent of stadium capacity to away supporters.However, the organization deferred to local authorities in this case. “UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their team in a safe, secure and welcoming environment,” the governing body said in a statement. “In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory.”West Midlands Police emphasized that the decision “was based on current intelligence and previous incidents,” adding, “We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”Maccabi Tel Aviv, the only Israeli club still competing in European competition this season, has not yet issued a formal response.The post Maccabi Tel Aviv fans banned from Birmingham match appeared first on World Israel News.