Board of Deputies Vice President Andrew Gilbert has released the following statement about the ban imposed on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of the club’s Europa League tie with Aston Villa.
Andrew said: “We are extremely troubled by reporting in the Times and the Jewish Chronicle that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from travelling to see their team play Aston Villa based on false information provided by West Midlands Police. We raised our concerns about this decision with government before the game and have continued to seek answers since.
“This decision has sowed distrust, particularly for Birmingham’s Jewish community, and undermined community cohesion. We must get the bottom of this with full transparency and accountability, and government must ensure there can be no improper interference in decisions of this kind. Every part of our society needs confidence that policing decisions are based on the proper criteria, and not swayed by narrow prejudice or agendas.”