Maccabi Tel Aviv football club banned

I think all sorts of flags seem to be around now. I've seen a photo of the Maccabi fans with an Israeli flag.
Not sure about flags everywhere. Can seem provocative.

Who was waving the Palestinian flags?

Suspended for Islamaphobia, not a great credit, surely?

It was what they were saying, not Trevor Phillips.

AGAA4

Oreo

You should have watched the Trevor Phillips tv programme this morning.You may have changed your mind about the ‘no antisemitism’ guff.

Wasn't he suspended for Islamaphobia?

Ed Milliband and other guests?

Palestine flags =good British/English flags=bad 🤷🏼‍♀️ strange mindset isn’t it?

Gosh, missed that one. Who has been waving flags?

Oreo

You should have watched the Trevor Phillips tv programme this morning.You may have changed your mind about the ‘no antisemitism’ guff.

Wasn't he suspended for Islamaphobia?

Galaxy

I am quite glad that we have established that those waving flags are good and those removing them are bad. Handy for future discussions.

Yes!!

Strange conundrum, isn't it 😁

It’s absolutely right that Starmer and all the leaders of all the political parties overturn this ban.Which am sure they will do.
Do you think all these leaders are wrong?

Dorisdodar

This forum is full of contradictions about the displaying of flags.

Yes, it really is ironic 😁

What kind of country do you want us to be? One where a minority who live in Birmingham can sway the police to be on their side as a sort of appeasement? A country that says no Israelis can come here to watch a football match?It’s a slippery slope.

You should have watched the Trevor Phillips tv programme this morning.You may have changed your mind about the ‘no antisemitism’ guff.

Smileless2012

^Until the Maccabi board cleans up its own act, the fans get what they deserve^ well said growstuff.

This decision should be appraised on what it was based on and not incorrect allegations of antisemitism.

I agree. Wanting to keep all safe because a club's fans have been disruptive in other countries does not equate to antisemitism.

Until the Maccabi board cleans up its own act, the fans get what they deserve well said growstuff.

This decision should be appraised on what it was based on and not incorrect allegations of antisemitism.

I'm guessing each club has its own mentality, which in a way, can be its own special strength, but also its own downfall. That is particularly evident across different nations, and hard for anyone to change.
The compromise is that behaviour somehow needs to adapt.

growstuff

Whitewavemark2

I suppose the alternative would be to allow the fans in but warn them that as soon as they start chanting “death to all Arabs” or tearing down any Palestinian flags etc, that they would be arrested before any trouble could start.

They would then be sent packing back to Israel, where they can shout their unpleasant messages to their hearts content.

The trouble with that is that it wouldn't be much of a punishment and the damage would already have been done, possibly to local infrastructure. Ideally, fans who caused trouble would be arrested and charged in the UK, but that would mean keeping them in custody and all the expenses.

In 2023, Legia Warsaw was fined 100,000 Euros by UEFA for the violence at an away match against Aston Villa. Aston Villa is still seeking compensation for damage caused to the ground.

West Midlands Police don't feel they have the resources to control the match (before and after), if it turns out like the match against Ajax. If the government is so keen for Maccabi fans to be there, it needs to provide extra resources, but I have no idea who would pay.

In order to prevent German fans from Eintracht Frankfurt travelling to Naples, the Schengen Agreement has even been suspended. So people will be checked at the borders between Germany and Italy.

Yes I do agree really with your post.

Just casting around for a compromise - it ain’t going to work is it?

The problem now is that the banning of Maccabi has been well publicised. This will inevitably draw those people who will be there solely to cause trouble. Not all will give a toss about Gaza and Israel but are rabble-rousers and enjoy conflict.

This could have been handled better and dealt with much more low key.
Starmer and others making public declarations has made this much more difficult to handle.

escaped

Yes, a compromise of sorts Whitewavemark2.
Though I fear it's becoming such a difficult issue to resolve worldwide.

Football itself is ploughing millions into trying to sort it. At every level much consideration and training is given as top how to stamp out trouble, and the players themselves often make appeals. Many a club's ethos emphasises the complexity of these issues. I don't have the answer, but somehow it has to stop.

The key is the clubs themselves, who do have some limited control over their own fans. For example, Chelsea banned for life a fan who attacked a black man on the Paris underground.

It would appear that Maccabi Tel Aviv isn't too bothered about their fans. Apparently, racist anti-Arab comments are quite comment in Israel, where about 20% of the population is Arab and there are some good Arab players, who suffer name-calling every time they play. There are a couple of Arab players in the Israeli national team who suffer appalling abuse. There are also some non-Arab Muslims in other Israeli teams. It's commonplace for Maccabi fans to target them.

Until the Maccabi board cleans up its own act, the fans deserve what they get.

Galaxy

I am quite glad that we have established that those waving flags are good and those removing them are bad. Handy for future discussions.

Pardon?

Whitewavemark2

I suppose the alternative would be to allow the fans in but warn them that as soon as they start chanting “death to all Arabs” or tearing down any Palestinian flags etc, that they would be arrested before any trouble could start.

They would then be sent packing back to Israel, where they can shout their unpleasant messages to their hearts content.

The trouble with that is that it wouldn't be much of a punishment and the damage would already have been done, possibly to local infrastructure. Ideally, fans who caused trouble would be arrested and charged in the UK, but that would mean keeping them in custody and all the expenses.

In 2023, Legia Warsaw was fined 100,000 Euros by UEFA for the violence at an away match against Aston Villa. Aston Villa is still seeking compensation for damage caused to the ground.

West Midlands Police don't feel they have the resources to control the match (before and after), if it turns out like the match against Ajax. If the government is so keen for Maccabi fans to be there, it needs to provide extra resources, but I have no idea who would pay.

In order to prevent German fans from Eintracht Frankfurt travelling to Naples, the Schengen Agreement has even been suspended. So people will be checked at the borders between Germany and Italy.

I am quite glad that we have established that those waving flags are good and those removing them are bad. Handy for future discussions.

Yes, a compromise of sorts Whitewavemark2.
Though I fear it's becoming such a difficult issue to resolve worldwide.

Football itself is ploughing millions into trying to sort it. At every level much consideration and training is given as top how to stamp out trouble, and the players themselves often make appeals. Many a club's ethos emphasises the complexity of these issues. I don't have the answer, but somehow it has to stop.

I have only ever been to one football match but don’t remember flag waving as part of audience participation. Don’t large flags obscure the view of the pitch? Wouldn’t it be better to wave flags somewhere else?

This forum is full of contradictions about the displaying of flags.