UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has opposed Aston Villa’s decision to block fans from the Israeli football club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, from attending their UEFA Europa League game scheduled for November 6 at Villa Park.
“This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets,” Mr Starmer said. “The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Ahead of their November 6 game, Aston Villa, on Thursday, announced that their opponent’s fans cannot attend the game to support their club due to fear of potential antisemitic violence.
To prevent potential antisemitic violence against Israelis who might be visiting the UK to support their home club, Villa said they were “in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision”.
On October 2, two people were killed and others were injured in an attack carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester.
Mr Al-Shamie, a British national of Syrian origin who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, was killed during the attack that was later declared a terrorist act by UK counterterrorism police.
The attack came on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
