Maccabi Tel Aviv fans boycotted the Europa League match at Aston Villa for security reasons

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) – Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans will not be allowed to attend a Europa League game at Aston Villa next month because of security concerns, the English club said Thursday. Villa said in a statement that it had informed its local police force “they have concerns about public safety outside the stadium’s ball and the ability to deal with any possible protests on the night.” “The club is in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process,” Villa said, “with the safety of fans attending the game and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.” Maccabi Tel Aviv visit Villa Park on November 6. It will be the team’s first away game in the Europa League since pro-Palestinian protests took place at the stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece when the club played PAOK on September 24. About 120 supporters of the Israeli club traveled to Greece for that match and were held behind a police cordon. The London Jewish Leadership Council called Thursday’s decision unfair. “It is perverse that away supporters should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police cannot guarantee their safety. Aston Villa must face the consequences of this decision and the match must be played behind closed doors,” the organization said in a statement. Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters clashed violently with residents of the city in Amsterdam last season when the team visited for a Europa League game against Ajax. European football body UEFA had weighed in on a vote to suspend Israeli teams from its competitions before it was overtaken by the Gaza ceasefire this month. ___