British police deployed 700 officers in Birmingham on Thursday ahead of the UEFA Europa League soccer match between Aston Villa F.C. and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The increased security is being employed despite the police ban of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the game.
Anti-Israel activists could be seen gathering around Villa Park hours before the start of the match, with Palestinian flags and political placards displayed at the scene, BirminghamLive reported.
One sign on a lamppost read, “No war games allowed,” the report added.
Five demonstrations are scheduled to take place near the stadium from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We know protests by different groups will take place on the day, and we have plans in place which balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham,” Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce said, according to Reuters.
“People not attending the event should expect significant disruption to the roads in the area on the evening, and we’d urge people to avoid the area where possible,” he added.
Schools closed early to ensure children and staff members do not encounter any flashpoints.
“I think both Aston Villa and West Midlands Police have everything in hand,” said a spokesperson of Witton Arms, a pub affiliated with Aston Villa F.C., according to BirminghamLive.
The English city has a large Muslim population, some 30% of residents.
The decision to ban away fans from the game sparked uproar in Britain.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the police on Oct. 19. “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation,” Starmer wrote on X.
Emily Damari, a British-Israeli woman hostage released from Gaza after 470 days, joined the ban’s many Jewish critics, calling it “shocking” and “disgusting.”
“I was released from Hamas captivity in January and I am a die-hard fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv,” said Damari, who also supports London’s Tottenham Hotspur F.C. “I am shocked to my core with this outrageous decision to ban me, my family and my friends from attending an Aston Villa game in the U.K.”
