Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said he would have taken a different approach to last month's decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending their club’s Europa League match in Birmingham, according to an interview with British LBC Radio.
Speaking with host Nick Ferrari, Sir Stephen questioned the value of prohibiting visiting supporters, saying that “banning generally is problematic both practically and tactically.” Instead, he explained that his force typically "police[s] the match in accordance with the intelligence picture."
He elaborated that when intelligence indicates the presence of a problematic crowd, officers "scale up our resourcing and we would place it accordingly." Asked whether this meant the game would proceed with fans present, Sir Stephen replied that allowing supporters to attend "would be our default position."
His remarks come after Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were prevented from attending the November 6 match at Villa Park, a decision taken by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) following advice from West Midlands Police, which labeled the fixture high‑risk amid what it described as significant safety concerns.
The ban, which followed claims of previous disorder involving sections of the club’s fanbase and heightened tensions related to the war in Gaza, prompted widespread criticism. The chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews called the move the "wrong decision," and the UK Prime Minister later used the same words when condemning the ban.
The restriction drew additional scrutiny after The Sunday Times reported that British police had cited disputed intelligence, including allegations that Israeli fans had thrown members of the public into a river during a match in Amsterdam and that hundreds of supporters had targeted Muslim communities. Dutch authorities rejected the claims, saying the information attributed to them was "not true."
The initial ban was first announced after Aston Villa stated that the SAG had ordered the club to prohibit visiting supporters due to public safety concerns and the ability of police to handle potential protests. West Midlands Police said at the time that the decision followed the force’s assessment of prior incidents, including violent clashes and hate‑related offences during last year’s match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The move was met with strong political reaction. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said authorities must ensure all fans can attend matches "without fear of violence or intimidation," while Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch warned the decision sent a message that “there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.”
Amid the backlash, the British government said it was working with police and partners to enable all fans to attend. Nevertheless, Maccabi Tel Aviv later announced it would decline any ticket allocation, saying the safety of its supporters could not be guaranteed. The club argued that inaccurate allegations had created a “toxic atmosphere,” and noted that its squad and fan base include Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
The government responded by saying it was “deeply saddened” by the club’s decision, calling the situation “completely unacceptable” and warning that the match had been weaponized by extremists seeking to inflame tensions.