Aston residents are bracing themselves for a volatile atmosphere ahead of Thursday's Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Over 700 police officers will be deployed, including horseback units, police dogs, and a drone unit, as protests from various groups, primarily pro-Palestinian demonstrators, are expected.
The match has been deemed "high risk" by authorities due to previous incidents involving violent clashes and hate crimes surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv matches. The safety advisory group in Birmingham recently made the decision to ban Maccabi fans from attending the game on public safety grounds, sparking controversy. Critics have labeled this move as an overreaction, with some comparing it to a "surrender to antisemitism."
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian rallies are taking place around Aston, featuring Palestinian flags and posters calling for Israel's suspension from international sports organizations. Local businesses are joining in by displaying the posters, including Abul Lase, who runs an accountancy firm in the area. However, some residents remain concerned about the safety implications of these events.
The situation has been amplified by a petition launched by Stand With Us UK to reverse the ban on Maccabi fans, which now boasts over 17,000 signatures. According to Jack Angelides, chief executive of Maccabi Tel Aviv, this move is "unfair" and "unjust."
Birmingham residents are divided on how they feel about the upcoming match. Shah Zaman expressed his concern that everyone has the right to enjoy the game, regardless of their nationality or background.
Despite the police presence and concerns among some residents, many are resigned to a potentially volatile atmosphere at the stadium.
The match has been deemed "high risk" by authorities due to previous incidents involving violent clashes and hate crimes surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv matches. The safety advisory group in Birmingham recently made the decision to ban Maccabi fans from attending the game on public safety grounds, sparking controversy. Critics have labeled this move as an overreaction, with some comparing it to a "surrender to antisemitism."
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian rallies are taking place around Aston, featuring Palestinian flags and posters calling for Israel's suspension from international sports organizations. Local businesses are joining in by displaying the posters, including Abul Lase, who runs an accountancy firm in the area. However, some residents remain concerned about the safety implications of these events.
The situation has been amplified by a petition launched by Stand With Us UK to reverse the ban on Maccabi fans, which now boasts over 17,000 signatures. According to Jack Angelides, chief executive of Maccabi Tel Aviv, this move is "unfair" and "unjust."
Birmingham residents are divided on how they feel about the upcoming match. Shah Zaman expressed his concern that everyone has the right to enjoy the game, regardless of their nationality or background.
Despite the police presence and concerns among some residents, many are resigned to a potentially volatile atmosphere at the stadium.
I'm kinda worried about how this whole thing is gonna go down on Thursday. It seems like there's way too much tension between the pro-Palestinian protesters and Maccabi fans... 
The ban by the safety advisory group in Birmingham is def a point of contention, and it's hard to blame people for feeling that way about it being seen as an overreaction. 
On one hand, you gotta respect the safety concerns, but on the other hand, shouldn't everyone be allowed to enjoy the match without all this drama? 
I'm just hoping everything gets resolved peacefully and nobody ends up getting hurt 
. As an older person, I've lived in Birmingham for ages & I've never seen anything like this before. I get why everyone wants to be heard, but all this fuss is making me anxious 
. Can't we just enjoy a football match without all this drama? 
.
I feel for the fans on both sides who just wanna enjoy the game, you know? It's not about who's right or wrong, it's about safety first. 
But at the same time, I don't get why the ban on Maccabi fans had to happen. It feels like a heavy hand, you feel me? 
On one side, pro-Palestinian rallies and petitions are important for raising awareness, but on the other side, it's cool that local businesses are showing support too 
. Let's hope everything goes smoothly at the stadium... I wish! 
, but others are worried sick about safety 
And now there's even an online petition going around 
- I guess that says something about how passionate people are on both sides of this debate 
. Can't wait to see what Thursday brings 
️. Will the police do enough to keep things under control, or will it all spill over? The tension is building 
... like, I get it, tensions are high and all that, but can't we just have a football game without all the hate? 
I mean, I've lived in Birmingham my whole life and I'm sure most people here don't want to see their city turn into a war zone. And what's with the ban on Maccabi fans, anyway? It feels like they're being singled out for no reason... and now this petition is just gonna make things worse 
. I hope the police can keep everyone safe, but at the same time, I wish people could just calm down and enjoy the game like normal humans 
.
. Like, I get that there are people on both sides who care deeply about what's happening in Israel and Palestine, and I'm all for free speech and peaceful protests. But at the same time, I can see why the authorities would want to take precautions – last year's clashes were super violent 
. Can't we just agree to disagree and enjoy the game without it getting out of hand? 
i mean its not easy balancing free speech with people getting all worked up over politics but honestly think birmingham city council should have done more research before banning maccabi fans from the match might have avoided a lot of drama in the first place 
. At the end of the day, we're all just there to watch some football, right? 