Tommy Robinson outlining his intention to attend next month’s Europa League game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa prompted the Israeli club’s ticketing U-turn.
Maccabi announced on Monday evening they’d decline any away tickets for the November 6 clash at Villa Park after the UK Government had said it was ‘working across the clock’ to make sure fans from either side could attend.
In a press release, Maccabi claimed that they had taken the regrettable decision ‘in consequence of the hate-filled falsehoods’ which had created ‘a toxic atmosphere’ across the upcoming match.
Robinson, who has been visiting Israel having been invited by politician Amichai Chikli, appeared to fan the flames last week when he donned Maccabi’s colors and suggested he was able to attend the sport as a fan.
That declaration and the potential ramifications of Robinson’s presence, nonetheless, appears to have been the ultimate straw for Maccabi.
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A source told Jewish News: ‘The danger posed by anti-Israel protesters was substantial, but we thought we had a plan to stop them from prevailing. But that modified with the intervention of Tommy Robinson.
‘There was now also danger that our supporters might be falsely associated together with his far-right activities, in front of anti-Israel protestors already out to get them.
‘With Robinson’s supporters potentially posing as Maccabi fans on the streets of Birmingham, we concluded that the chance had turn out to be unacceptable for innocent fans who just want to look at their team play.’
Villa, meanwhile, have warned their fans against displaying political symbols, messages or flags when the highly politicised match eventually rolls around.
The Midlands club have been thrown into the attention of the storm after Birmingham’s safety advisory group, the body chargeable for issuing safety certificates for each match at Villa Park, last week said that no away fans can be allowed to attend.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer then weighed in, calling the move ‘incorrect’ and for it to be overturned.
The Government had been expecting West Midlands Police to set out this week what they would want to police the sport safely with each sets of fans present.
The Israeli side said in a press release on Monday evening that it had decided not to just accept any tickets for the match for its fans.
The club said: ‘The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount and from hard lessons learned, we’ve got taken the choice to say no any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision ought to be understood in that context.
‘We hope that circumstances will change and stay up for having the ability to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment within the near future.’
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