Gazeta Lodz - Protests as Villa beat Maccabi Tel Aviv under tight security

More than 700 police officers were deployed across the city in central England as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters held separate demonstrations outside Villa Park stadium in the run-up to kick-off.

Villa announced last month that no Maccabi fans would be allowed at the UEFA Europa League match following a police risk assessment.

The decision sparked criticism, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer who set about trying to reverse the move, but the Israeli club later announced it would decline tickets for its fans anyway, citing safety concerns.

Some 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near the stadium's Trinity Road stand. They chanted "Free Palestine" and displayed banners calling for a boycott of Israel and its exclusion from international football.

A few dozen pro-Israel protesters stood at the other side of the stadium, waving Israeli flags and holding posters that read "Keep anti-Semitism out of football", before being escorted away by police.

"I can tell you that we have no aspiration other than coming and celebrating our team's presence on the world's biggest stage, which is English football," Maccabi fan Itai Gal told AFP.

"That's what we intended to do today, and it's a shame that this opportunity has been robbed from us," the 44-year-old London resident told AFP.

Birmingham, the UK's second-largest city and home to a significant Muslim population, has been the scene of regular pro-Palestinian rallies over the last two years.

Police classified Thursday's fixture as "high risk", citing the "violent clashes and hate crime offences" during a Europa League match in Amsterdam between Maccabi and local team Ajax last November.

That game sparked two days of clashes between locals and Israeli fans in the Dutch city.

AFP saw a large police presence outside Villa Park, with officers wearing protective padding and carrying riot helmets. Police horses were also deployed.

"We are experienced at policing high-profile football matches and demonstrations, and for many weeks now, we have been working closely with different faith and local community groups to listen to their views and concerns," West Midlands Police said in a statement.

Signs were hung near the stadium reading "No War Games Allowed" and "Give Zionism the Red Card", while channels spearheaded by far-right activist Tommy Robinson had made Islamophobic statements about the match and planned protests.

- 'Regardless of faith' -

One school near the stadium closed early to avoid disruption, with others reportedly planning to do the same.

"There's a lot of anxiety," Robert Hussain, a 55-year-old volunteer for a local mosque told AFP before the game.

West Midlands Police, which said it had been bolstered by 25 other forces, said those arrested were suspected of offences ranging from racial aggravation to failing to comply with a dispersal order.

Villa chose not to sell tickets for their own fans in the away end of their stadium, meaning that section was vacant throughout the match, which the home side won 2-0.

Elizabeth, a Villa season ticket holder who declined to give her surname, said she understood the decision to bar the Maccabi fans but felt it was a shame.

"Football is something that everybody can enjoy, regardless of your faith, your race. It's for everyone. It's meant to be inclusive," she said.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's decision to turn down tickets also came after police called off an Israeli Premier League match between the club and city rivals Hapoel because of "riots" between rival fans.

The team has insisted its supporters were not involved in the unrest and criticised "hate-filled falsehoods" about its supporters for creating a "toxic atmosphere".

Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for the area of Birmingham covering Villa Park who was elected last year on a pro-Palestinian ticket, said there was a "large concentration of Muslims" in the local area who had voiced fears about racism.

Aston Villa urged supporters not to display political symbols during the match -- a practice banned under protocols issued by UEFA, the governing body of European football.

O.Kubiak--GL