Overview
- Chief Constable Craig Guildford defended the force’s intelligence to MPs, rejecting claims officers were ‘scraping’ for justification while conceding a false Google entry about a non‑existent West Ham match had tainted one report.
- Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara said intelligence from 5 September indicated some local groups planned to arm themselves and seek violence against Maccabi supporters, shifting the risk from football rivalry to community hostility.
- Dutch police have challenged West Midlands Police accounts of Amsterdam disorder involving Maccabi fans, disputing descriptions that underpinned Birmingham’s decision to exclude away supporters.
- An expert rapid review by UK football policing lead Mark Roberts, completed 16 days before the game, judged the least‑worst option was a reduced away allocation, yet the Safety Advisory Group maintained a presumption of no visiting fans.
- Political scrutiny has intensified with an HMIC review requested by the home secretary, public calls for Guildford to resign, and a Jewish community leader disputing police claims of prior consultation.