A West Midlands Police chief did not mean to imply to MPs that there were members of the Jewish community who had explicitly expressed support for the exclusion of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a football match, the force has said.
The decision not to allow supporters of the Israeli team to attend the Europa League game against Aston Villa in early November sparked political uproar, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “angered by the decision”.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford, Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster were questioned on their decision-making by the Home Affairs Committee on Monday.
Mr O’Hara told the panel that some Jewish community representatives had said they did not want Maccabi fans to attend the match in Birmingham.
The Times reported he has now written to representatives of the community in Birmingham to apologise.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “it was never the intention of the officer to imply that there were members of the Jewish community who had explicitly expressed support for the exclusion of Maccabi fans.”
They added that the force expects further engagement with the committee and will “ensure this is clearly articulated as it has been with representatives of the Jewish community”.
The Israeli embassy in London previously said West Midlands Police’s use of “disproven allegations” about Maccabi Tel Aviv fans’ actions during a game in Amsterdam as evidence they posed a threat to public safety in Birmingham was “profoundly misleading, extremely troubling, and risks inflaming tensions”.
The decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (Sag), which brings together the council and police, to ban the fans was based in part on police intelligence.
The fixture had been classified as high risk by West Midlands Police, with the force pointing to alleged violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
However, Dutch police have disputed the accuracy of this information, The Sunday Times reported.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “We recognise that this has been a difficult time for our local Jewish community. We therefore have and continue to actively engage.
“At the HASC meeting on Monday, there were a number of questions asked, often with several parts and secondary points raised.
“In answering these questions, it was never the intention of the officer to imply that there were members of the Jewish community who had explicitly expressed support for the exclusion of Maccabi fans.
“We are anticipating follow-up engagement from the HASC, and we will ensure this is clearly articulated, as it has been with representatives of the Jewish community.
“We provided a full and comprehensive explanation to MPs on the information, intelligence and risk assessment process that took place prior to the football match last month and we will continue to respond to follow-up questions raised by the HASC and actively engage with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary & Fire and Rescue Services' (HMICFRS) wider work commissioned by the home secretary.”
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