Viewpoint: the Maccabi ban was unfair but justified despite intelligence shortcomings

Chris Hobbs says the decision that resulted from the WMP intelligence report was harsh but justifiable with precedents from other matches despite the much publicised errors.

So, the Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police (WMP) has predictably fallen on his sword after the debacle surrounding Aston Villa’s home European match against Maccabi Tel Aviv back in October last year.

There were clearly problems with the intelligence report that led to the chief’s resignation. Quite how a totally fictitious West Ham versus Maccabi match could have featured in the assessments, apparently by virtue of AI, is quite breathtaking.

HMIC Andy Cooke’s preliminary report concluded that the police were looking to acquire sufficient evidence of poor behaviour by Maccabi supporters to justify their ban. The implication is clearly that they ‘pepper and salted’ intelligence received from their Dutch counterparts and elsewhere.

Anti-Semitism and Exaggeration

WMP, by virtue of the banning decision, were accused by Jewish groups, of antisemitism but Andy Cooke has, thus far, found no evidence of this.

There has also, via social media, been claims that the day before the AJAX v Maccabi match, the visiting fans were not involved in any disorder and were simply the victims. However, the report acknowledges that there was bad behaviour by Maccabi supporters in terms of attacking Muslim and pro-Palestinians and damaging property which caused difficulties for the Dutch police but that the level of this disorder was exaggerated.

WMP also stated that 2,000 police had been deployed to deal with the potential disorder but Andy Cooke’s report states that this number was in fact 1,200; however, it’s not clear whether this was over one or two days. Whilst the numbers may have been exaggerated, 1,200 is still a substantial number.

Poor behaviour

Certainly, there were claims of poor behaviour by Maccabi ‘Ultras’ the night before the AJAX match. Footage placed on social media was originally described as disorder by ‘Arabs,’ however the female photographer responsible was quick to indignantly state that these were Maccabi fans: This was supported by a young teenage photographer who took similar footage.

The question of travel bans

Local authorities in addition to UEFA, impose travel bans of visiting supporters. French authorities issued a total travel ban for PSV Eindhoven supporters to and within Paris for a Champions League game, citing past disturbances.

In 2025 the French interior ministry issued a decree forbidding travel by any people claiming to be Ajax fans to Marseille due to a history of violent behaviour and animosity between fan groups.

Eintracht Frankfurt fans were banned from attending their match in Naples against Napoli due to fears of violence.

A ‘riot’ in Israel, racist behaviour in Stuttgart

Maccabi Ultras aren’t regarded as the worst behaved in Israel whose police seem to have a problem with football related violence. During the month before the Villa game, disorder involving Maccabi and Hopoel Tel Avi supporters reached such a level that the game itself never took place. Israeli police described events as ‘public disorder and violent riots.’

Maccabi fans were allowed to visit Stuttgart in December last year.  However, they drew the attention of UEFA who fined the club £20,000 for the ‘racist and discriminatory behaviour’ of its supporters and imposed a suspended sentence of a one match travel ban.

Whilst Andy Cooke has found no evidence of antisemitism he is clearly critical of both communication and administrative failures. He also alluded to the fact that there were clearly potential threats to public order in Birmingham linked to the match other than those directly posed by Maccabi Ultras.

Staring down the barrel

To those who follow public order events linked to football, the issues were obvious.  One solution, to avoid a total ban on away supporters,  would have been to ensure that the Maccabi fans simply didn’t set foot in the city of Birmingham. West Midlands police have acquired, over the years, a good reputation for its policing of football especially in relation to high-risk matches.

With high-risk domestic matches, the visiting supporters arrive and are gone within hours which enables them to be closely monitored.

The second challenge to any WMP policing operation would be the inevitable hostile reaction of Birmingham’s Asian youths and young men. Footage emerged of a Birmingham Islamic cleric stating that Maccabi fans would not be shown ‘any mercy’ when they came to the city.

The demographics of the Aston area and indeed of Birmingham would almost certainly have guaranteed a large hostile turnout determined to confront Maccabi supporters. Even without the presence of banned Maccabi fans on the actual matchday, there was still a substantial gathering of Asian youths and young men although their protest passed off without incident other than exchanges of abuse with passing Villa supporters.

Anti-racist, pro-Palestinian

The presence of Maccabi fans would also have attracted a substantial leftist anti-racist, pro-Palestinian protest that probably would, as happened in Whitechapel (see below) during an anti-UKIP demonstration, have been separate from the predominately Asian protest. It too, however, will have attracted substantial numbers including ANTIFA activists. On the matchday itself, there was a significant anti-racist pro-Palestinian demonstration but again numbers would have been far greater had Maccabi fans been allowed to attend the match.

Pro-Israeli counter-protests involving Stop the Hate and the Campaign against Antisemitism would have had to have been policed and indeed, on matchday a pro-Israeli march took place escorted by police which passed off without incident.

Before the ban was announced Tommy Robinson stated that he would attend the match which, again, would have attracted a substantial following given his popularity with football fans that transcend club rivalries. Although his name was chanted on the night of the match, it appears that the absence of Maccabi fans also resulted in his absence but there was a counter-protest by those who were described by the media as far-right.

The Holte End

Another aspect of any policing operation would also involve the Villa Holte Enders. The Holte End is the area behind one of the goals where the most fervent Villa supporters gather and these include their hooligan element. In January last year there were ugly scenes as Celtic fans who had acquired tickets for that section of the ground, were violently attacked.

As it was, on the night of the match itself, Villa fans passing the ‘anti-Maccabi’ protests made their feelings known.

Finally, any police assessment would have to have included the possibility of the Birmingham City Zulus, historically one of countries most notorious hooligan groups, attending attracted purely by the prospect of large-scale disorder. None however seem to have attended the vicinity of Villa Park on the night of the match.

It was suggested by me that one solution could have been to fly in the Maccabi supporters by charter flights into Birmingham and/or East Midlands airport on the day of the match; taken by coaches either directly to the ground or to a gathering point at a suitable venue. A police escort would be provided to the ground and at the conclusion of the match, the Maccabi fans held back, which is usual UEFA practice in any event. They would then be conveyed to the relevant airport to board their night flight home.

That sounds relatively simple but the logistical challenges are huge and it may simply not have been practicable in any event.

Parallels? Whitechapel and Southall.

In Whitechapel a planned UKIP rally was effectively moved by police conditions from an area populated largely by those of Bangladeshi heritage. As with the visit of Maccabi, there were threats from prominent local individuals and on the day itself, whilst UKIP followers were in central London, large groups of predominately white anti-racists gathered, listened to speeches and marched short distances.

A number of masked youths could also be seen, but later in the afternoon a large group of 300 masked youths dressed in black appeared and were clearly patrolling the area looking for those they deemed to be racist and far-right. I, personally can remember, as a young PC, two riots sparked by the appearance of the far right in the predominately Asian town of Southall. Our Chief Superintendent tried and failed to get the National Front election meeting at the Town Hall cancelled. The resultant disorder saw more than 100 officers injured and the death of Blair Peach.

Two years later, the presence of far-right skinheads at a Southall Pub for a concert saw hundreds of local youths take to the streets, more than 100 officers injured and the pub burnt to the ground. Personally, I was knocked unconsciousness and bloodied by a brick but was saved from really serious injury by a newly acquired, reinforced beat helmet. I later discovered that I was covered literally from head to toe in bruises.

Vivid memories but of course public order policing has improved. But the potential in the Villa Maccabi match, attended by away fans, for serious disorder would be far greater than the scenarios described above, especially with the added complication of a crowd of 30,000 making their way to and from the match.

Even if West Midlands Police had produced arguments in a truthful, cohesive manner, with the conclusion that Maccabi fans should not be permitted to attend the match, it would still have been accused of caving into Islamists. One fact is certain; British clubs that feature in next year’s European competitions and police forces who police them, will be looking anxiously at the draw hoping to avoid a repeat scenario.

Finally, for those studying the issue, there is a detailed report by a Dutch ‘unaffiliated independent’ news platform known as Whispering Media. The report, which does express a point of view, is surprisingly detailed, refers to the ongoing controversy and has been brought to the attention of the HMICFRS.  The title is ‘the Maccabi Gospel’ and can easily be found by a simple internet search. For those interested in this ongoing controversy, it is worth a perusal.

Another article, entitled ‘A Question of Intelligence’ by Dominic Adler can also be easily located on the internet and was written as a response to the Maccabi affair. It chronicles the shambolic evolution of police intelligence systems over the years and, perhaps, helps explain the WMP/Maccabi debacle.

Chris Hobbs is a former Special Branch officer with extensive experience of football policing. 

Category: football policing