Israelis should be welcome in Birmingham

[mids2019]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15206171/Parts-Birmingham-no-area-Jews-says-Ed-Miliband-ministers-scramble-allow-Israeli-fans-attend-Aston-Villa-football-match.html

The government need to act on this. West Midlands police have more than enough man power to police a football match with at most 1000 away fans. I watched West Midlands politics today and there was a politician brazenly saying part of the reason for effectively banning the Tel Aviv fans was they there was 'a moral point about Gaza'. We cannot have local councillors, community leaders and MPs agitating for the anti Semitic ban of fans of one of Israel's premier football teams.

We have to face reality want know that a lot of local residents are anti Israel and have taken this opportunity for VIlla Park to become a no go area for Jews.

Let's hope the decision is overturned and quickly.

As has everyone before. It’s just interesting how language changes depending on who’s being spoken about.

However hard people protest, it always seems to get back to one issue, justification for demonising Israel.

Yes, it is fascinating isn't it. Bit like the MP who was very worried about safety but he only said that after he'd stated his opinion about alleged genocide.

People can't seem to see that when they conflate gaza with a football match in Birmingham it is quite revealing.

Funny because you’re the ones who brought up everything but the banning order.

i don’t think the ban is related to the war. I just find it fascinating that your side will describe a stadium ban as “thuggery” but not anything related to what Israel have done.

' I just find it fascinating that your side will describe a stadium ban as “thuggery” but not anything related to what Israel have done'

Yes, which as I said is quite revealing. It isn't about a football match is it?

As a season ticket holder I was hoping we'd avoid Maccabi in the draw. I hate to say it but I think it should be played without any fans. Tommy Robinson has asked his supporters to show support for the Israeli team and proPalestinian groups are still planning to protest. I won't be going anywhere near Villa Park and lots of supporters I sit near have said the same thing.
I'm genuinely concerned about what will happen outside the ground - I hope I'm wrong , I've been going to Villa Park for 30 plus years and have never felt unsafe until now.

The inability to distinguish between the conflict in Gaza and a football match is why the game should be played behind closed doors. No violence (if that is your concern), no support for anti-Semitism (if that is your perspective). The lines are too blurred. It’s only a football game and it isn’t important enough to make Birmingham a tinderbox. No side ‘wins’.

Same here. The only people who cared about the safety of the Villa fans were the police and the SAG. It could have been managed with their recommendations in place but the hyperbole, falsehoods and media frenzy have turned it into something far worse than it needed to be. We’re not going to go either.

Sorry I mean to quote @Craftysue the Villa season ticket holder.

"It is clearly a " let's contain the Islamist leaning rabble rousers in the Birmingham Muslim community ( and the tag alongs) " decision.
THAT'S the common denominator.
Not hard, is it?*

Always remembering this would only be a minority subset of the community, this is what worries me, @EasyTouch. Situations aren't improved by pandering to extremists no matter how much they want it, and it's not hard to imagine how this would have gone down had it been a muslim event which was cancelled

Money

The Diwali parade was cancelled due a funding freeze in 2024 and post Martyn's Law, the legally required security arrangements are too expensive:

"We share the disappointment felt by the community and all stakeholders and assure you that every possible avenue was explored in the effort to host this event as scheduled," organisers said.

"The Soho Road BID remains committed to the safety, prosperity, and vibrancy of our local area, and we will provide further updates on rescheduling in due course."

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law, requires sites with more than 800 people to have extra measures such as CCTV or security staff.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpw148rvq41o

If you were so curious, you could have taken two minutes too Google that. Why did you choose not to?

Have you heard of MTA and their history of violent disorder? Just wondering as that doesn't seem to factor in your entirely fictional account of 'what this is about'.

@Puzzledandpissedoff or did I misunderstand and were you talking about diwali?

Not sure anyway what the diwali issue has to do with curtailing the activities of violent football thugs

Oh good grief, might have known he’d wade in. The pure bloody irony of Robinson and his thugs supporting an Israeli team will no doubt completely go over the heads of some people. It would be funny if the whole situation wasn’t so frightening.

The violent contingent of Maccabi fans are extremists. They must not be pandered to, either.
The WM police made the right call.

I know there's literally no point, but maybe watch this

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16W2QguuMh/

It will be interesting to see what the response is on here when/if MTA "fans" turn up and cause trouble after being banned and the club saying that they will turn down tickets.

Why would it be interesting? Surely everyone would condemn it as we would violence at any event.

The point is you can't ban fans because of which side you're on in the gaza conflict dressed up as concern for safety. Which is what this is.

Given the response from the pro MTA side, it would be interesting to see what excuses they come up with.

The violent contingent of Maccabi fans are extremists. They must not be pandered to, either

I fully agree, @MrsSkylerWhite, but then as many posts will show I oppose all extremists and not just chosen ones, which is why I don't engage in the all-too-frequent race baiting on these threads

And while I thought you made a great job of putting much of the info about the Diwali celebrations ban in one place, @PuttingOnTheKitsch, I was aware of most of this but also aware of the views of certain elected representatives which suggest that funding and security aren't the only motivations here

Go back and read what I said then read your response which claims something I never said. I post in good faith. As I said in my last post....Don't make things up!

I was aware of most of this

I really don't think so, or you would have mentioned it in your post.

but also aware of the views of certain elected representatives which suggest that funding and security aren't the only motivations here

This is just a straightforward lie because your attempt to blame the Diwali cancellation of Muslims was swiftly disproved. Had you been aware of such a thing, you would have mentioned it in your original post.

Well, I suppose the acid test would be if, say, Haifa United (making this up - no idea if it’s a team) were to come and play a friendly at Aston Villa. If it’s just about thuggish fans and not their nationality then any other team visiting from Israel should presumably not cause such a hoo-ha.

Well surprise surprise and as we knew all along that despite banning the Maccabi fans there were arrests and violence after all by the pro Palestinian hooligans.

https://metro.co.uk/2025/11/06/schools-shut-early-ring-steel-set-aston-villa-vs-maccabi-tel-aviv-24630914/amp/

Maybe if public safety (rather than blatant anti semitism) is the true objective then West Midlands Police might just realise that the problem is with the anti semetic pro Palestinian thugs and not football fans.