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UK MP Celebrates Israeli Soccer Fans Banned From Attending Match 'For Their Own Safety'

Brett T.
Brett T.  |  9:30 PM on October 16, 2025

This editor often jokes in his VIP posts that he's Twitchy's U.K. correspondent. Here's an appalling story that's been all over his timeline on Thursday. In short, fans of Israel's soccer team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, will be banned from attending an away game in Birmingham after a member of Parliament circulated a petition saying that Israelis in the stadium would cause a disruption.

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Here's a quick overview from Sky News:

That's a shorter way of putting it. So the West Midlands Police are behind this, but Member of Parliament Ayoub Khan welcomed the news and thanked everyone who signed his petition to keep Israeli fans from attending the match.

Here's the statement Khan released:

He writes:

Sports entertainment events should be enjoyed by all, regardless of their race, ethnicity and background. But there are rare instances where the political dynamics surrounding such spectacles cannot be ignored, and where drastic action must be taken to ensure the safety of fans, players, staff and local residents.

I am glad that this reality has been acknowledged in this case, and I am grateful to Aston Villa F.C., Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C., West Midlands Police and the Safety Advisory Group for all their work to listen to our community’s concerns.

Now is the time to ease tensions, set aside political differences, and focus on the football once more.

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And here's a video Khan made to share the "excellent news" for the people of Birmingham:

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Here's a statement from Aston Villa, not condemning this racist.

The post continues:

… and guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country?

If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go.

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We're not sure if it's just Israelis banned from watching their team play or if British Jews are banned from attending too. They're going to keep Birmingham safe from antisemitic violence by asking that all of the Jewish fans stay indoors. Disgraceful.

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