Overview
- The Europa League game at Villa Park went ahead without Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters after Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group barred away fans and the Israeli club declined tickets.
- West Midlands Police deployed more than 700 officers with Section 60 stop-and-search powers, mounted and dog units, drones, and airspace restrictions around the stadium.
- Pro-Palestine groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, rallied near Villa Park calling for Israel’s exclusion from international football, while a smaller counter-protest expressed solidarity with Maccabi.
- Police reported six arrests before kick-off for offenses including failure to comply with a face-covering order, breach of a dispersal order, racially aggravated public order offenses, and breach of the peace.
- Local impacts included early closures at nearby schools and visible banners and flags on the A38 Aston Expressway, with authorities warning of road disruption in the area.