Ruth Jacobs, chair of the Birmingham and West Midlands Jewish Community, has expressed strong disappointment and distress following claims that Jewish community representatives had agreed to the exclusion of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from a Europa League match at Villa Park on 6 November 2025.

The controversy erupted after reports suggested that West Midlands Police (WMP) officials had received input from Jewish community members supporting the ban. Jacobs described these claims as “horrifying”, stating that no consultation with her community took place before the decision.

“We in the Jewish community could not imagine who from our community would have said such a thing – to have agreed to the ban,” she told the BBC.

Police Apology and Trust Concerns

WMP Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara reportedly sent letters apologizing for any misunderstanding. However, Jacobs warned that the apology, while sincere, has undermined trust in the police for many members of the Jewish community.

“Trust and confidence in the police has been undermined for a lot of people in the Jewish community as a result of what the force asserted in the run-up to the game,” Jacobs said.

The force clarified that O’Hara had not meant to imply that Jewish representatives supported the exclusion of Israeli fans.

Political Fallout

The decision has prompted scrutiny in Parliament. Policing Minister Sarah Jones declined to comment on whether she retains confidence in the force’s leadership, admitting mistakes were made by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) in barring Maccabi supporters.

Conservative MP Nick Timothy criticized the force, suggesting that Chief Constable Craig Guildford “must go”, accusing the police of relying on flawed intelligence, possibly aided by artificial intelligence (AI), which allegedly referenced a fictitious 2023 match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham.

“The police are accused of fabricating evidence to justify a predetermined outcome demanded by Islamists,” Timothy said.

Context of the Ban

The ban came amid pro-Palestinian protests outside Villa Park, with demonstrators, including Independent MP Ayoub Khan, waving flags and banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza. Local authorities cited fears of potential violence, especially in predominantly Muslim areas of Birmingham.

WMP defended its actions, stating that intelligence was provided by Dutch police commanders, who described certain Maccabi fan groups as “very well organized” and “militaristic” in their behaviour. Dutch officials reportedly stated that they would prefer Maccabi Tel Aviv not to play in Amsterdam again.

Inspectorate Review

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is reviewing both the risk assessment advice provided to local safety advisory groups and the intelligence used by WMP. Findings are expected to be handed to the government by 31 March 2026, with a specific update on WMP’s intelligence anticipated before the end of 2025.