US EditionBadenoch calls for police chief to go
West Midlands Police said the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was based on safety risks including local hostility and Dutch police intelligence, despite criticism and political scrutiny.
- On 6 November last year, supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv were barred from the Europa League fixture at Villa Park after a Safety Advisory Group announced the ban three weeks earlier, provoking political outrage including from the prime minister.
- West Midlands Police said the decision was an operational safety call, not politically driven, denying political influence and calling the ban a reasonable choice by the Safety Advisory Group that includes police, emergency services, and local councillors.
- Police told MPs they relied on intelligence including a report from Dutch police, a `very hot` local reception, and `incorrect information` from Google search material, plus September 5 high-confidence intelligence about non-football issues.
- Chief Constable Craig Guildford faced questioning from MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee and asked for a review after Kemi Badenoch called his position untenable.
- A review published 16 days before the match overseen by Mark Roberts recommended a reduced allocation as the 'least worst' option, while Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters had warned many would skip the trip over safety fears.
7 Articles
7 Articles
Police chiefs defend Maccabi Tel Aviv ban before British MPs
The West Midlands police defended its handling of security assessments around a Europa League match involving Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa during a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, amid criticism that police intelligence relied on selective and distorted assumptions. MPs on the Home Affairs Committee questioned the basis for banning Israeli fans from attending the 6 November fixture, with committee chair Dame Karen Bradley saying the eviden…
West Midlands Police 'in serious trouble' following decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans
West Midlands Police is facing mounting pressure after banning Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a match, a decision now under intense parliamentary scrutiny
Police Chief Acknowledges Officers Used Misinformation to Justify...
A POLICE chief today admitted his officers Googled incorrect info used to justify a ban on Jewish football fans. Chief Constable Craig Guildford faced calls to... #news, #uknews, #birmingham, #crime, #police, #westmidlands, #israel, #thesunnewspaper, #israelhamaswar, #flyingeze
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