Israelis face wrongful bans while Arab agitators freely fuel hatred and unrest across Britain unchecked.
Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson openly questioned last month’s controversial decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending their Europa League match in Birmingham. In an interview with LBC’s Nick Ferrari, the senior officer made clear he would have handled the situation differently.
Sir Stephen noted that blanket bans on visiting fans are “problematic both practically and tactically,” emphasizing that his own force normally relies on intelligence-led policing, scaling resources as needed rather than excluding supporters. “Allowing fans to attend would be our default position,” he said—an unmistakable contrast to the West Midlands approach.
The ban, imposed for the November 6 match after the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) followed West Midlands Police’s advice, ignited fierce criticism. Officials had declared the fixture “high risk,” citing supposed prior disorder among Israeli fans and “elevated tensions” tied to the Gaza conflict—tensions overwhelmingly stoked by pro-Palestinian agitators, not Israeli supporters.
The controversy exploded further when The Sunday Times revealed that some of the intelligence used to justify the ban was plainly false. Claims that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans had thrown people into a river in Amsterdam and targeted Muslim communities were flatly denied by Dutch authorities, who called the allegations “not true.” Yet those fabricated accusations were effectively weaponized against Israeli fans.
Political leaders from across the spectrum condemned the ban. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “the wrong decision,” while Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch warned it sent a chilling message that “there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.”
Despite government efforts to reverse the damage, the situation deteriorated. Feeling that an atmosphere of hostility and misinformation made travel unsafe, Maccabi Tel Aviv announced it would refuse any ticket allocation, stressing that the hysterical narrative had created a “toxic atmosphere.” The club also reminded critics that its squad and supporters include Jews, Christians, and Muslims—a level of diversity conspicuously absent in many Arab and pro-Palestinian spaces where hatred of Israelis is promoted as a cultural norm.
The UK government labeled the situation “completely unacceptable,” noting that extremists had intentionally weaponized the match to stir anti-Jewish sentiment. Sir Stephen’s remarks now amplify growing calls for policing that protects law-abiding Israelis, rather than appeasing those who target them.
