Israel protestor led away by police as tensions rise at Villa Park

VIDEO SHOWS: ISRAELI PROTESTOR HOLDING ISRAEL FLAG BEING LED AWAY BY POLICE DURING PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTS AHEAD OF EUROPA LEAGUE MATCH BETWEEN ASTON VILLA AND MACCABI TEL AVIV IN BIRMINGHAM WHERE AWAY FANS WHERE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE MATCH / POLICE PRESENCE OUTSIDE THE VILLA PARK STADIUM / COMMENT FROM LOCAL ACTIVIST WHO BACKS THE FAN BAN RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 6, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. PRO-ISRAEL PROTESTOR HOLDING UP AN ISRAEL FLAG IN FRONT OF PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS WITH PALESTINE FLAGS WHO ARE STANDING BEHIND A LINE OF POLICE OFFICERS 2. POLICE IN FRONT OF PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS WHO ARE WAVING PALESTINE FLAGS  3. PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS / PRO-ISRAEL PROTESTOR WITH POLICE 4. POLICE LEADING AWAY PRO-ISRAEL PROTESTOR  5. VARIOUS OF PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS GATHERED WITH PALESTINE FLAGS AND SIGNAGE IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE 6. POLICE OFFICER WITH PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS IN BACKGROUND  7. POLICE SIGN ON POLICE OFFICER’S OVERALL 8. POLICE VANS LINED UP  9. VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS 10. BACK OF POLICEMAN 11. POLICE OFFICER HOLDING HELMET 12. VARIOUS OF POLICE VANS  13. POLICE OFFICERS STANDING OUTSIDE THEIR POLICE VAN  14. ANTI-ISRAEL POSTERS 15. SIGN READING: 'YOUR PITCH, YOUR CHOICE BOYCOTT ISRAEL' 16. VARIOUS OF LOCAL ACTIVISTS INCLUDING SHAKEEL AFSAR 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL ACTIVIST, SHAKEEL AFSAR, SAYING:     “Well, today, people are protesting here predominately because our prime minister and home secretary are completely out of touch with their community, and in fact, I wouldn’t say out of touch, they have thrown the community under the bus. When our West Midlands police decided on credible intelligence that they would not allow Maccabi Tel Aviv fans to come, the fact that Keir Starmer (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) has doubled down, saying that it’s antisemitic is the direct reason for a protest here. If the fans didn’t had come, our people would not have been concerned, but the fact that our prime minister continues to put us under the bus is forcing us to come here, and we will continue to do it anyway when it comes to Palestine, we believe that there is a plausible genocide taking place. We believe that there is favouritism. You, we can ban Russian fans due to Russian aggression, but we can’t ban Israeli fans due to Israeli aggression. Makes no sense.” 18. POLICE VANS / “STOP ARMING ISRAEL” SIGN  19. POLICE VANS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL SIGNS  20. POLICE OFFICERS LINED UP WITH MAN IN WHEELCHAIR BEING PUSHED PAST  21. POLICE OFFICERS GETTING READY OUTSIDE THEIR VAN  22. VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS OUTSIDE VAN  23. VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS STANDING OUTSIDE ENTRACE TO ASTON VILLA’S VILLA PARK STADIUM 24. POLICE OFFICERS ON PAVEMENT WITH “STOP STARVING GAZA” SIGN HUNG UP ON STREET LIGHT 25. FANS WALKING PAST POLICE OFFICERS 26. EXTERIOR OF VILLA PARK STADIUM STORY: A pro-Israel protestor holding an Israel flag was led away by police as tensions rose outside Villa Park on Thursday (November 6) evening ahead of the Europa League fixture between Aston Villa and Israeli soccer club Maccabi Tel Aviv.  British police had mounted a large operation with 700 officers to prevent trouble in the city of Birmingham. With Israeli sports teams a focus for pro-Palestinian protests during the Gaza conflict and Villa initially saying away fans would be barred on police advice, Maccabi reluctantly opted not to accept tickets for visiting supporters. Despite that, pro-Palestinian groups staged protests. West Midlands police said there would be a big police presence in the centre of Birmingham, which has a large Muslim population, and around the stadium. Police officers were seen patrolling the area outside the stadium and a small group of protesters were gathered with pro-Palestinian banners. Last November, more than 60 people were arrested in Amsterdam after clashes around a match between Maccabi and Ajax. Police said anti-Israeli gangs on scooters chased and beat Maccabi fans. Five people were treated in hospital. Britain has witnessed a sharp rise in antisemitism in recent years and two Jewish worshippers died during an attack on a synagogue last month. The initial decision to bar Maccabi fans from the Villa game was opposed by the UK government, but the Israeli club anyway decided to keep its fans away given the "toxic atmosphere." (Production: Will Russell, Iain Axon, Stefan Haskins)

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