Tensions high at Villa-Maccabi game, Israeli fan saddened by no supporters

VIDEO SHOWS: ASTON VILLA FANS SHOUTING AT POLICE / PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTEST / PRO-ISRAEL PROTEST / SOUNDBITE FROM MACCABI TEL AVIV FAN / SOUNDBITE FROM PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS  EDITORS NOTE: INCLUDES PROFANE LANGUAGE DURING DEMONSTRATION IN SHOTS 5, 6 AND 16 SHOWS: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UK (NOVEMBER 6, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. ASTON VILLA FANS ARGUING WITH POLICE  2. FAN IN CROWD WAVING BRITISH UNION FLAG, FANS SINGING 3. FAN WITH BRITISH FLAG  4. VARIOUS OF PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS  5. ASTON VILLA FANS ARGUING WITH POLICE 6. POLICE OFFICERS, ASTON VILLA FANS SHOUTING AT THEM 7. FAN WITH BRITISH FLAG TELLING PROTESTERS TO TAKE THEIR MASKS OFF / PROTESTERS 8. VARIOUS OF POLICE ON HORSEBACK 9. PROTESTERS WITH PALESTINIAN FLAGS, CHANTING (English): "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." 10. PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "Give Maccabi red card"  11. PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS 12. VARIOUS OF PROTESTER SPEAKING INTO MICROPHONE TO LEAD CHANT  13. FLAGS, PROTESTERS CHANTING 14. PROTESTER LEADING CHANT ON MEGAPHONE  15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS, SAYING:     PROTESTER 1: "It is not antisemitic to be against Israel, because they are literally killing people, and there are also Jewish Palestinians as well. We're not anti-Semitic, we're just against murder of like families and children."     PROTESTER 2: "So we are not just saying Palestinian children, we want that to happen to Israelis. We don't want that to happen to no one, no children at all."     PROTESTER 1: "Unfortunately, Israel holds all the cards and they could stop if they wanted to. So their deaths are in their hands, too." 16. PRO-ISRAEL PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "Keep anti-semitism out of football" 17. VARIOUS OF ISRAELI FLAG 18. MACCABI TEL AVIV FAN ADDRESSING PROTEST  19. MACCABI TEL AVIV FLAG  20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MACCABI TEL AVIV FAN LIVING IN LONDON, ITAI GAL, SAYING:    "Well, I think it's a sad affair where Jewish people are not allowed to come to a football game solely because they are from Israel or because they are Jews. And that's a culmination of a capitulation mentality that the authorities in Britain have been demonstrating constantly in the last two years." 21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MACCABI TEL AVIV FAN LIVING IN LONDON, ITAI GAL, SAYING: (ON WHETHER GAME WOULD HAVE PASSED OFF CALMLY WITH AWAY FANS PRESENT)     "I think that it will be as peaceful as any other game in the United Kingdom. I think there will be… look, again I say, we have nothing against Aston Villa as a club or their fans. We wanted to come and take part of a celebration of football for us tonight and we've been robbed of our opportunity to do so. It's nothing to do with that particular club or those particular fans. I don't see any reason why we would have. We would have issue with the Islamist mob. That's definitely. But I expect the police to deal with the aggressors, not with the victims. That's how it works in a law and order country." 22. VARIOUS OF MAN ADDRESSING CROWD AT PROTEST AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM  23. PROTESTER HOLDING PLACARD AT PROTEST STORY: A group of Aston Villa fans vented their anger at police as tensions ran high at their club's Europa League tie against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday (November 6).     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.     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.     Just before kick off, a group of Aston Villa fans passed the protest site and traded insults with the protesters, before shouting at police.    Fans and protesters were kept apart, and during that particular incident, no arrests were made.     The initial decision to bar Maccabi fans from the Villa game was opposed by the UK government, but the Israeli club decided to keep its fans away given the "toxic atmosphere." (Production: Will Russell, Stefan Haskins)

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