Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv ban evidence ‘was changed to fit decision’, MPs said

The evidence cited by police that led to the controversial ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a match against Aston Villa was based on facts changed to fit a decision, a group of MPs heard.

The government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord Mann, told the Home Affairs Committee he “struggled” with some “inaccurate” details provided by the West Midlands force.

Some of the evidence “combined” different things regarding a match against Ajax in Amsterdam, he said, giving an example of street fights that did not occur on a match day.

Police Chief Craig Guildford told the committee the decision to ban fans was “not taken lightly”.

“We have taken a careful approach,” he told MPs, adding: “We have not done anything appropriate.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from attending the November 6 match at Villa Park in Birmingham, a decision that was later reviewed.

The police assessment was mainly based on information provided to the force by Dutch police commanders before the match, MPs heard.

But Lord Mann argued that segregating fans would have been a “better and easier” solution.

He said the police report cited Maccabi fans in the Netherlands “lowering Palestinian flags” on the day of the match, when there was only one flag the night before the match.

The report also refers to multiple incidents against taxi drivers, he said, when there was an incident.

“I think what you’re saying is that the facts changed slightly to accommodate the decision,” one MP asked him.

“Correct. Correct. Yes,” replied Lord Mann.

Lord Mann also highlighted an error in the West Midlands Police intelligence report which referenced a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham, which had never happened, he said.

The police chief admitted that he had ended up in the report “because of a social media post.”

Deputy Chief Constable Mike O’Hara and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster were also questioned about their decision-making.

The match, policed ​​by more than 700 officers, went off without major disturbances and with only a handful of arrests, following a ban decision by the city’s Security Advisory Group (SAG), a panel that includes Birmingham City Council and the police.

Guildford said: “The information provided by the Dutch was very, very clear in terms of their reflections on the days before, during and after the match as a result of the clashes between the Maccabi ultras and the local Muslim community.

“According to what they told us, the ultras were very well organized and militaristic in their way of acting.

“They attacked members of the local community, including taxi drivers. They tore down flags. They threw people into the river.”

He added that Dutch commanders were “unequivocal” that they “would not want Maccabi Tel Aviv to play in Amsterdam again in the future.”

The ban was the “best way to minimize risks” to the local community, players and fans, O’Hara said.

“If we had allowed fans in and it had gone wrong, I feel like I would still be sitting here again.”

In the wake of the ban, the Prime Minister criticized the move, saying that “we will not tolerate anti-Semitism on our streets” and that the police’s role was to “ensure that all football fans can enjoy the match, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

Asked by MPs whether he thought it was appropriate for the government to comment on operational decisions, the police chief said politicians “should be allowed to freely express their views”.

“But from an operational policing perspective, sometimes when opinions are expressed quite publicly, particularly when opinions are given when, say, not all the facts have been reported in detail, sometimes…reporting it can increase tension and can increase the level of threat and risk.”

But he added that “on the contrary, it can also serve to reduce complaints and reduce the level of threat and risk.”

“We work in an environment where we work online 24/7 and monitor that way, we have to be able to respond accordingly.”