Force Admits No Evidence of Jewish Backing for Maccabi Fan Ban
West Midlands Police have been forced to publicly apologise to MPs after wrongly claiming that members of Birmingham’s Jewish community supported the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Aston Villa’s Europa League clash.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford told the Home Affairs Select Committee there was actually “no documented feedback from Jewish representatives” before the controversial ban was imposed on November 6, 2025.
After Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara’s testimony suggested otherwise, some community members privately agreed with the decision. But the force admitted this was not evidence to justify the public claim made earlier.
Police Bosses Set to Face MPs Again Amid Growing Backlash
In December, ACC O’Hara told MPs the Jewish community “did not want Maccabi fans to attend the match.” This sparked outrage and a formal demand for clarification from Dame Karen Bradley, Chair of the Home Affairs Committee.
“ACC O’Hara and I would like to formally apologise for any confusion and reassure there was never any intention to mislead,” said Chief Constable Guildford.
Guildford and O’Hara face an unprecedented recall next week, marking the first time a serving Chief Constable will be summoned twice by Parliament over the same issue. Dame Karen warned that “a number of questions” remain about how the police handled the fixture.
Ban Sparks Political Fury and Calls for Independent Review
The fan ban, enforced by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) made up of Birmingham City Council and police reps, triggered widespread condemnation – including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Birmingham City Council has now confirmed plans for a full, external review into the decision-making process. Richard Brooks, director of city operations, said the council “intends to commission a formal independent review led by an external law firm” to improve governance.
Government Moves to Tighten Safety Event Assessments
Following the controversy, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered the Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to scrutinise how police forces share risk assessments with SAGs nationwide.
The findings are expected by March 31, 2026.
The match itself saw over 700 officers deployed and concluded peacefully with Aston Villa beating Maccabi 2-0. However, UEFA fined Maccabi €20,000 (£17,500) and issued a suspended away ban over discriminatory chants by their fans.
Damage Done to Trust Over Policing and Community Relations
Critics say the ban set a worrying precedent, letting potential threats dictate attendance rather than targeting troublemakers. The recall of Chief Constable Guildford to Parliament highlights how seriously MPs view the police’s bungled handling of both the ban and their subsequent testimony.
