Thousands of protesters rallied outside Villa Park in Birmingham ahead of the Europa League clash between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, calling on FIFA to ban Israel from all international football tournaments ⚽🇵🇸
The protest was organized by several UK-based organizations, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al-Aqsa, the British Islamic Association, and the Palestine Forum in Britain. Demonstrators waved large Palestinian flags and chanted pro-Gaza slogans ✊
Placards read “Stop Arming Israel,” “Stop Starving Gaza,” and “Red Card to Israel,” urging the international community to take action.
Independent MP Ayoub Khan, representing Birmingham, expressed support for banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending, saying: “Over 800 athletes have been killed in Gaza, including more than 350 footballers. If Russia and South Africa were banned, then banning Israel is the only moral stance.”
Organizers noted that Israel’s assault on Gaza, backed by the US since October 8, 2023, has killed over 68,000 Palestinians and injured more than 170,000. 😔
British police deployed over 700 officers—including mounted units, K9 teams, drones, and traffic police—around the stadium, arresting six people amid rising tensions.
The match ended with Aston Villa defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 2–0, with the Israeli fans banned from attending.
