Hundreds protest ahead of Israeli team football clash

TENSIONS ran high as hundreds of protesters descended on Birmingham for last night's controversial Aston Villa match against Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv.

- BY PAUL JEEVES

A huge police presence for the Europa League match saw more than 700 officers outside the stadium with dogs, horses and drones.

West Midlands Police said six people were arrested during the protest and a counter-gathering ahead of kickoff.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators milled near Villa Park's turnstiles, with lines of police keeping them away from fans entering the ground.

As darkness fell, there were growing chants of "Allahu Akbar", "from the river to the sea" and "death, death to the IDF" from the group.

Meanwhile, a band of about 80 counter-protesters against the ban on Maccabi fans could be seen carrying Union flags and placards declaring "keep anti-Semitism out of football".

It came after gangs of masked activists had posted "Zionists not welcome" signs around the city.