Police 'apologise to Jewish community' over fan ban

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.

- JORDAN REYNOLDS

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 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 last 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.