U.K. Home Secretary Presses Police Chief to Resign Over Israeli Soccer Fan Ban

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Lizzie Dearden and Tariq PanjaJanuary 14, 2026 at 09:42 PM

Read Original Article

AI Summary

long article 4 min

U.K. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood pressured the West Midlands Police chief constable to resign after a report found the force overstated the threat posed by Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans before a November 2025 match in Birmingham. An independent watchdog investigated after Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from attending the Aston Villa game. The report revealed that West Midlands Police provided misleading information, recommending the ban based on violence at a previous Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam. The committee overseeing public safety measures for sports matches followed the police's advice, leading to the ban. Mahmood stated she no longer has confidence in the police chief due to the force's intelligence errors.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Netherlands 30% Israel 40% Ajax 40% Britain ×250% Amsterdam ×250% Andy Cooke ×360% England ×260% Aston Villa ×370% Birmingham ×370% Shabana Mahmood ×280% Maccabi Tel Aviv ×790% West Midlands Police ×490%

Keywords

soccer fan ban 100% police chief 80% west midlands police 80% maccabi tel aviv 70% intelligence errors 60% shabana mahmood 50% independent report 50% aston villa 40% public safety 40%