Maccabi Tel Aviv football club banned

Oreo. Community concerns may mean people in the nearby streets.
Villa Park is in Aston, a pretty rundown area, on a street with houses nearby.

That's a plan, yes. But it won't stop any disturbances outside the stadium.

GrannyGravy13

M0nica why ban Aston Villa fans from their home ground?

I think The Prince of Wales would be rather pieved, he is an ardent Villa fan.

Well, what fair to all solution are you suggesting in its place?

Why ban Aston Villa fans from their ground? Why ban the Haifa(?) supporters from watching their team play? Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

M0nica why ban Aston Villa fans from their home ground?

I think The Prince of Wales would be rather pieved, he is an ardent Villa fan.

Simplest solution if the police do not have the manpower to deal with this problem (apart from recruiting more police) is to ban BOTH sets of fans and have the game played in an empty stadium. That is equally fair to both sides.

As it is, banning one side only, wen they will not be the trouble makers looks like antisemitism.

My post at 11.59 described how a club handled what could have been a violent clash. It could work and may be the only way without banning.

Rosie51

If Aston Villa feel the need to wholesale ban the visiting team's supporters because they cannot assure their safety then they should forfeit the match. Or play behind closed doors with no supporters present at all.

That was my first thought, too. But then it dawned on me that there would still be protests outside the stadium.

Football is a funny game. It brings great joy to many and gets young people out exercising.
But it is at heart quite an aggressive game and we all know how it generates aggression off the pitch. It creates tribal divisions at the best of times.
Add in the highly sensitive political scenario at the moment and is us a very scary and volatile mix.
Add in alcohol .......
I really feel for those tasked with the safety of the crowds both inside and outside the stadium. It is a heavy responsibility.
They will be criticised whatever they decide.

Unfortunately any sporting events where Israel is attending will be fraught with problems. I don't believe that it is all antisemitism but an abhorrence of what Israel has done to Gaza.
I'm not condoning blaming all Israelis for this as many don't like the way their government has been acting either. To blame a whole country for the actions of its government is beyond comprehension.

If Aston Villa feel the need to wholesale ban the visiting team's supporters because they cannot assure their safety then they should forfeit the match. Or play behind closed doors with no supporters present at all.

I really feel for the football club. They truly are between a rock and a hard place. They do not want anyone hurt, but do not want to be anti-semitic or curb freedoms.

I am glad I am not having to make these decisions.

Banning them feels wrong in principle; but so does putting the crowd (often young people and children at any risk.

Maremia

And now BBC has just reported that Downing Street is working hard to reverse the ban.

And so they should.

The ‘community’s concerns’ ? Which community I wonder

And now BBC has just reported that Downing Street is working hard to reverse the ban.

Here is his response to the ban

Thanks GG, but I don't have X just now. He will have drawn 'attention', and as Kate says, he is also on in MSM.

I agree with banning the known troublemakers fans

Banning all fans sounds like antisemitism to me.

Birmingham has a large Muslim
Community, the MP lead a petition for all of the fans to be banned.

Yes, it's not up to you Kate. Hopefully he is under scrutiny now that the story is mainstream.

Maremia

I think that preacher has to be investigated. Where can we research this, Kate?

His name is Astar Rashid, he is on X ranting about Jews and good Muslims

He's not the only one unfortunately Maremia. I don't see the point of reporting someone whose views are in the press. Surely the authorities know of him?

I think the potential for orchestrated violence is much, much bigger than two sets of football fans and beyond the capabilities of the police to control.

There are angry people set on violence on both sides. It might be possible to police the relatively small number of those who fly over and ensure that they don’t cause trouble, but I don’t think it will be possible to police the large numbers of those living here who will gather at this event.

See above Avalon, from a post it looks as if UEFA thinks it should go ahead.

In fact Kate, if it is already in MSM then it will be investigated.

If, as above, the police commissioner is against the banning, then it should all go well.

That is concerning Kate. Most likely he has been reported.