Notivan (@bsunshine.bsky.social)

Violent Maccabi fans were organised fighters 'linked to IDF', UK police found <article data-history-node-id="431075" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/violent-maccabi-fans-were-organised-fighters-linked-idf-uk-police-found" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/violent-maccabi-fans-were-organised-fighters-linked-idf-uk-police-found" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Violent Maccabi fans were organised fighters 'linked to IDF', UK police found</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Dutch police told their <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/uk" target="_blank">British</a> counterparts that over 200 Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans who <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-hooligans-provoke-clashes-amsterdam-after-chanting-anti-palestinian-slogans" target="_blank">wreaked havoc</a> in Amsterdam in November 2024 were "linked to the <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israel </a>Defense Forces [IDF]", and that hundreds more were "experienced fighters", "highly organised" and "intent on causing serious violence", Middle East Eye can reveal.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/maccabi-tel-aviv-declines-tickets-uk-game-over-tommy-robinson-intervention" target="_blank">recent ban</a> on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv from a 6 November fixture at Aston Villa in Birmingham triggered a <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/corbyn-demands-lisa-nandy-retract-accusations-against-independents-police-intelligence" target="_blank">political furore</a> and was <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/corbyn-demands-lisa-nandy-retract-accusations-against-independents-police-intelligence" target="_blank">denounced</a> as antisemitic last month by the British government. </p> <p>But the West Midlands Police assessment which led to the ban was based on intelligence provided by Dutch police about the conduct of Maccabi fans during a match in Amsterdam last November.</p> <p>The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/21/police-intelligence-on-extreme-maccabi-fans-with-history-of-violence-led-to-villa-park-ban" target="_blank">reported</a> on 21 October that the police assessment "concluded the biggest risk of violence came from extremist fans of the Israeli club".</p> <p>Now, as the match approaches, MEE can reveal new details of the police assessment which have not been previously reported, and which raise further questions about claims made by government ministers.</p> <p>This comes days after the police and Birmingham's safety advisory group <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/2128505/maccabi-tel-aviv-fans-ban-aston-villa" target="_blank">upheld</a> the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the match – after government criticism – although Maccabi Tel Aviv had eventually decided not to sell tickets to its fans for the fixture.</p> <p>The original police assessment, seen by MEE, records that Dutch police informed their British counterparts that "over 200" Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam last year were "linked to the Israel Defense Forces", Israel's army.</p> <h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/violent-maccabi-fans-included-organised-fighters-linked-idf-uk-police-found">Violent Maccabi fans were organised fighters 'linked to IDF', UK police found</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters at a Uefa Europa League match between their club and FC Midtjylland in Backa Topola, Serbia, on 23 October 2025 (Andrej Isakovic/AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e9b3b52b-62e6-4d30-a383-232eba372010" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/000_79ue8tz%20%281%29.jpeg" width="1400" height="788" alt="Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters at a Uefa Europa League match between their club and FC Midtjylland in Backa Topola, Serbia, on 23 October 2025 (Andrej Isakovic/AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters at a Uefa Europa League match between their club and FC Midtjylland in Backa Topola, Serbia, on 23 October 2025 (Andrej Isakovic/AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url("https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article> https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/violent-maccabi-fans-were-organised-fighters-linked-idf-uk-police-found