Maccabi fan ban evidence 'changed to fit decision'

Evidence cited by police which led to the controversial banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a match against Aston Villa was based on facts changed to fit a decision, a group of MPs has heard.

The government's independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord Mann, told the Home Affairs Committee he "struggled" with some "inaccurate" details given by the West Midlands force.

Some of the evidence "conflated" different things in regard to a fixture against Ajax in Amsterdam, he said, giving one example of running street battles that did not occur on a match day.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford told the committee the decision to ban fans "wasn't taken lightly".

"We have taken a careful approach," he told MPs, adding: "We haven't made anything fit."

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were prohibited from attending the 6 November game at Villa Park in Birmingham, a decision that was later reviewed.

The police evaluation was based primarily on information given to the force by Dutch police commanders ahead of the game, the MPs heard.

But Lord Mann argued segregation of the fans would have been an "easier, better" solution.

He said the police report cited Maccabi fans in the Netherlands "pulling down Palestinian flags" on match day, when it was one flag the night before the game.

The report also referred to multiple incidents against taxi drivers, he said, when there was one incident.

"I think what you're saying is the facts slightly changed to fit the decision," he was asked by one MP.

"Right. Correct. Yes," Lord Mann replied.

Lord Mann also highlighted an error in the West Midlands Police intelligence report which referenced a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham, which had never happened, he said.

The chief constable admitted that had ended up in the report "due to a social media post".

Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster were also questioned about their decision-making.

The match, policed by more than 700 officers, passed off without serious disorder and only a handful of arrests, following the decision on the ban by the city's Safety Advisory Group (SAG), a panel that includes Birmingham City Council as well as police.

Mr Guildford said: "The information provided from the Dutch was very, very clear in terms of they reflected on the days before, during and after the match as a result of clashes between the Maccabi ultras and the local Muslim community.

"In terms of what we were told, the ultras were very well organised, militaristic in the way that they operated.

"They attacked members of the local community, including taxi drivers. Tore down flags. People were thrown into the river."

He added that the Dutch commanders were "unequivocal" that they "would never want to have Maccabi Tel Aviv playing in Amsterdam again in the future".

The ban was the "best way to minimise the risks" to the local community, players and fans, said Mr O'Hara.

"Had we allowed the fans and it had gone wrong I feel that I would be sitting here again anyway."

In the wake of the ban, the prime minister criticised the move, saying "we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets" and that the role of police was "to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation".

Asked by MPs if he thought it was appropriate for the government to comment on operational decisions, the chief constable said politicians "should freely be allowed to express their views.

"But from an operational policing perspective sometimes when views are expressed quite publicly, particularly where views are given when, let's say, all the facts haven't been briefed in detail, sometimes... reporting it can increase tension and it can increase the level of threat and risk."

But, he added "on the contrary it can also serve to decrease reporting and decrease the level of threat and risk".

"We work in an environment where we work online 24/7 and we police in that way, we have to be able to respond accordingly."