Phil Mackie,Midlands correspondent and
Tanya Gupta,West Midlands
PA Media
Police forces from across the country have been drafted in, as protesters gather outside the stadium
Hundreds of protesters are in Birmingham as the controversial Aston Villa match against Maccabi Tel Aviv kicks off.
A huge police operation with more than 700 officers, dogs, horses and drones is under way for the Uefa Europa League match, which kicks off at 20:00 GMT.
Ch Supt Tom Joyce said several groups had been expected to protest, including pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli campaigners, in the wake of the controversial decision to ban away fans from the game.
“We police football matches a lot. We police protests a lot. We deal with all sorts of public order scenarios, but certainly the level of interest, the level of concern around this match is pretty unprecedented,” he said.
Police arrested six people before the match started, three on suspicion of racially-aggravated public order offences.
A man, 21, was arrested for failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask, and a boy, 17 was held for failing to comply with a dispersal order. Another person was arrested for a breach of the peace.
Reuters
Pro-Israel supporters gathered outside Villa Park
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving flags and banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza.
A counter protest of pro-Israeli campaigners marched down a road outside Villa Park. Five flatbed vehicles were also driven past the ground prior to kick-off of the Europa League match, carrying electronic billboards showing messages opposing antisemitism.
One message, beside a Star of David, read “Ban hatred not fans” while another carried a quote from Thierry Henry saying football is not about goals but bringing people together.
Reuters
Pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered outside the stadium, ahead of the match
PA Media
The team bus arrived a couple of hours before kick-off
PA Media
At least half a dozen groups were expected to protest
On Thursday, numbers of officers from the West Midlands force were boosted by police from 10 forces across the country.
Ch Supt Joyce, Birmingham’s police commander, said police had prepared for the possibility of people turning up looking for a fight.
“We recognise that those groups who won’t engage with this are probably turning up with different motives to those who want to protest lawfully,” he said.
“The policing operation you can see is partly a reflection of the need to deal with that.”
He told Sky News that “significant levels of hooliganism” among the Maccabi fan base was the reason for the ban.
Police are using Section 60 powers – which allow officers to stop and search anyone – in an area stretching from Aston and Perry Barr to Birmingham New Street and the city centre, which started at midday and run until 03:00 on Friday.
PA Media
Police are working to keep about half a dozen groups apart
Villa supporter Adam Selway turned up for the match wearing a half-and-half scarf in the colours of the home side and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The 48-year-old said he felt sympathy with fans unable to attend and simply wanted to watch a football match, but that he was not making any political statement.
“It’s not about politics, it’s about football,” he said. “It’s not the Villa fans that don’t want anyone here – the Villa fans want the away fans here.”
Earlier, those living and working in the city near Villa Park saw shops and schools close early.
Meanwhile, Jewish Villa fan Elliot Ludvig described his apprehension about attending the match.
Mr Ludvig, who was going to the game with his son, told the BBC: “I’m apprehensive about what’s going to happen. I’m apprehensive about the potential for violence for one thing.
“I’m apprehensive about various unpleasantries that we might encounter along the way, both outside the stadium and inside the stadium.”
EPA
More than 700 police are out on in the city for the match, which has caused controversy for weeks
‘Football unites us’
He said his other major emotion was “disappointment”.
“Is it worth going to a football game to potentially put myself at some sort of risk and or expose my son to to all sorts of unpleasantries which you might not want to?,” he asked.
Those who called for calm included one fan group, the Punjabi Villans, which urged people to respect each other and for everyone to get home safely, posting on social media: “We’re in this together. Football unites us.”
Elliot Ludvig said he was apprehensive and disappointed
On Wednesday night, the chief executive of Maccabi Tel Aviv Jack Angelides said it was “incredibly sad” his side’s fans could not be there, adding: “Politics should never be drawn into football.”
As plans for protests were drawn up earlier in the week, Naeem Malik, chair of West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said there had been national outrage over the hosting of the Israeli team.
“The calls to cancel this match have been ignored despite the risks that it carries, therefore we must urge activists to unite in protest against this match,” he said.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Kashmir solidarity campaign and Palestinian Forum in Britain had called for the match to be cancelled and jointly organised one of the protests.
Reuters
Protesters have turned up with placards and flags
