Tension is building around Villa Park ahead of tonight’s Europa League game between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
No Maccabi fans will be in attendance, officially at least, after the local Safety Advisory Group decided one of the stipulations for the issuing of a safety certificate would be a blanket ban on Israeli supporters.
The reasoning was the prospect of clashes with pro-Palestine supporters over the situation in Gaza which continues to rumble on despite an uneasy ceasefire currently in operation.
Demonstrations planned
A coalition of six pro-Palestinian organisations are planning to protest around the ground tonight, leading to a huge police presence with over 700 officers lining the streets.
One Villa fan, Mike Earp, told the Birmingham Mail: “I did feel apprehension about what might unfold. The atmosphere around the ground is nothing like it usually is.
“I haven’t seen anything like this since 1970s, when hooliganism was quite rife. Today is quiet, there’s usually more burger sellers, today there’s one.
“I did some reading but hopefully with the police force that’s out today, hopefully they can keep us safe. I spoke to the police officers about protests and they explained the times.
“My normal routine is to walk the entire stadium before the game, visit the Villa shop, catch some music in the fan zone but today I’m gonna go straight to the Holte End and home.”
The game itself kicks off at 8pm.
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