Israelis should be welcome in Birmingham

Indeed the WMP statement was clear - it referenced hate crimes in Amsterdam condemned as anti semitism by the Amsterdam Mayor, Dutch PM and Dutch King.

But your "intelligence" better than the WMP, the Amsterdam Mayor, the Dutch PM and Dutch King that it's all to do with football hooliganism and nothing to do with anti semitism.

Lastly I just love these "why do you think it's acceptable ..." type comments. It's a clear attempt to divert the topic, to be honest I'm surprised that you didn't use "why do think it's acceptable for children to be killed in Gaza" instead.

Anyway just to clarify- firstly I do not think violence at any football match is acceptable (and one of the reasons I don't attend them) secondly at no point did I ever state that it was.

Lastly to finish off why do you think it is acceptable to ban people from attending sporting events based on their nationality, religion or any other characteristic. Would you for example support for example banning a Pride Event due to concerns over homophobic attacks? Or a Black History event over fears of racist attacks?

From your post on the statement:
This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam."

What do you think "previous incidents", "violent clashes" and yes hate crimes as part of that means? to me previous incidents and violent clashes = issue with violent fans. As demonstrated in Tel Aviv yesterday.

So OK if the MTA fans are "known violent hooligans" why didn't the WMP statement just say that- it would have saved a lot of political fallout if they did.

Instead the statement referenced "hate crimes".

Their statement was clear enough.

why do you think this level of violence is acceptable?

If the banning of MTA from Birmingham is purely due to fears of football hooliganism then why didn't the West Midlands Police statement just say this ?

Or are you trying to use post event information to justify and smoke screen present day prejudices?

Your post is not honest. The statement from West Midlands Police stated:

"This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam."

So no mention of intelligence from UEFA. References the hate crime offences in Amsterdam condemned as anti semetic by the Amsterdam Mayor, the Dutch PM and the Dutch King.

So other than the fact that there was violence at a Tel Aviv game this weekend, that happened after the initial decision and statement was made by WMP, what "evidence" do you have to support the claim that it's purely down to football hooliganism.

Alternatively just be honest and state that it's not safe for 1000 Israelis to turn up in Birmingham because of local anger about the war in Gaza would turn violent.

If they have enough on their plate as you claim, they wouldn’t have cancelled the match when everyone was in the stadium. They’d have cancelled long before that. They didn’t cancel because they had too much on their plate, they cancelled because it was dangerous.. They said there was a risk to life.

The desperation to label the banning of violent football hooligans (which happens to many violent football hooligans including our own) as antisemtic is embarrassing.

It’s actually pathetic at this point. I’ve genuinely seen people online saying it’s the opposition fans at the MTA match, who were paid by Hamas to start trouble.

unbelievable.

I just wish they would be honest and say that it's not safe having a 1000 plus Israeli fans arriving in Birmingham with a high Muslim local population.

It is 1000 plus known violent hooligans (again demonstrated by their actions in Tel Aviv yesterday) and yes I agree that the local population being Muslim is a factor why these hooligans may riot and why some in the local population may counter riot. Tensions are high why stoke the fire? I am sharing a link below of what happened in Dublin in the 90s when English hooligans were allowed travel to Ireland for a match during the height of the troubles. Sometimes preventative measures are necessary to keep everyone safe and stop situations like below happen. Are people forgetting that all English clubs were banned from competing in European competitions for 5 years in the 80s because of their history of hooliganism? This is not an anti Israel, antisemitic decision or a unique one.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/25/england-ireland-1995-rioting-international

Its all they've got.

So now it’s antisemitic to point out that the fans who were banned for violence have been violent?

this is so true

And lastly given this why are posters gleefully leaping on the recent Tel Aviv derby cancellation in order to use it to hide (and failing) their own anti semitism.

Just stop this. It's nonsense and it helps no one.

That wouldn't be honest. The police said why the MTA fans were not allowed to attend, based on intelligence provided by UEFA. Do you want them to also say 'and it's definitely not because of all the Muslims in the area'? I think we all know how that would play out...

Well, there is. The game can go ahead with the MTA fans banned.

If as you say the decision to ban the Macabi fans was due to football hooliganism and nothing to do with anti semitism then why didn't the West Midlands Police statement just say this?

Or are you suggesting that WMP somehow knew or had intelligence that there would be disruption and smoke flares being used at the Tel Aviv game

Or if the violence at the Ajax game was simply a case of football hooliganism as you suggest then why was the violence condemned as anti semetic by the Amsterdam Mayor, the Dutch Prime Minister and the Dutch King.

And lastly given this why are posters gleefully leaping on the recent Tel Aviv derby cancellation in order to use it to hide (and failing) their own anti semitism.

I just wish they would be honest and say that it's not safe having a 1000 plus Israeli fans arriving in Birmingham with a high Muslim local population.

Fair enough, shame there’s no way round that? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Would be a huge shame for Villa, who would probably end up having to forfeit the match and hurt their chances of progression. Why should they be punished because the MTA fans can’t behave?

'This decision has to be looked at in context. If the fans were simply to aggressive fair enough but there are politicians openly admitting the fact the fans are Israeli is the reason for the ban. Also policing up to 1000 fans should not be a stretch for a large police force'

This. The pro pal MP has muddied the waters just a bit by bringing in genocide then quickly adding its the hooligans that are the problem.

Hopefully they cancel the game itself here too. If they can’t behave in their own country why should they be welcome here?

Oh I think they have enough on their plate at the moment what with a war and terrorists killing people. Their resources may be a tad stretched so policing a footie match probably not top of their agenda.

Anyway, back to Birmingham.

Israelis are welcome in Birmingham.

BTW, last night the tel aviv derby was called off because Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were violent.

Then why did Tel Aviv police just refuse to do it?

You just see what you want to see and no amount of factual information will dissuade you from that.