Birmingham banned Maccabi fans after speaking to Dutch police about Amsterdam riots
The decision to ban Macabbi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match between the Israeli club and Aston Villa in Birmingham next month was made after the local authorities spoke to the Dutch police, The Guardian reported. According to the newspaper, the Dutch police told their British counterparts that Maccabi fans had instigated trouble in Amsterdam around a match against Ajax last year and randomly attacked Muslims in the Dutch capital.
Riots erupted in Amsterdam on multiple days around an Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match in November last year. People were attacked on the street, there was widespread vandalism, and anti-Semitic slurs were uttered. The Justice and Security Inspectorate later concluded that the police “completely lost control of the situation” when violence erupted and “public order was no longer maintained.”
After the fact, the Dutch police identified 122 suspects, and many of them have been brought to trial. In July, Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema called it “highly likely” that Amsterdam would ban Macabbi Tel Aviv supporters from attending future matches.
In the aftermath of the Amsterdam riots, the authorities said that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were attacked on the street in Amsterdam, and that some Israeli supporters also perpetrated violence.
According to the Guardian, the Dutch police told their British counterparts that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters randomly attacked Muslims in Amsterdam, sparking reprisal violence in which some Dutch Jews were attacked. It took over 5,000 officers across three days to restore calm in the Dutch capital.
The British police decided to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the Aston Villa match in Birmingham on November 6, saying that officers cannot guarantee safety around the stadium. The decision is causing a great deal of unrest in Great Britain. The British Prime Minister has criticized the decision, and other critics said that the police were surrendering to antisemitism.
