West Midlands police chief sorry for saying Jewish community supported Maccabi fan ban

A West Midlands police chief apologized after an officer told MPs that some Jewish representatives supported banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match against Aston Villa in Birmingham last month. The decision to exclude the fans had sparked controversy, with concerns raised by figures like Keir Starmer. During questioning by the home affairs committee, the officer stated some Jewish representatives didn't want Maccabi fans at the game. The police force clarified that the officer did not intend to imply explicit support for the ban from the Jewish community. The decision to ban the fans was based partly on police intelligence citing alleged incidents during a previous Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam, though Dutch police disputed this information.