British Police Officers Investigated Over Ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans

Britain’s police watchdog is investigating former West Midlands Police chief Craig Guildford and four other police officers and staff members. The investigation concerns the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a Europa League match against Aston Villa last year.

On Wednesday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said its investigation had reviewed more than 600 pieces of evidence related to the November 2025 match in Birmingham. Among the material were intelligence reports, operational documents, meeting records, emails and messages.

Guildford, another senior officer and a police staff member face potential gross misconduct investigations. Two additional senior officers are also being investigated for potential misconduct. However, the watchdog stressed that the notices do not mean disciplinary proceedings will necessarily follow.

West Midlands Police barred Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the November 6 match at Villa Park after presenting security concerns to a local Safety Advisory Group.

The decision drew criticism from both the British and Israeli governments, as well as Jewish organizations. Subsequent reviews found that the police intelligence used to support the ban contained multiple inaccuracies and gave an unbalanced picture of the threat posed by Israeli supporters.

Among the errors was a reference to a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham that had never taken place. A police staff member reportedly obtained one inaccurate claim through a Microsoft Copilot search. The report also overstated the role of Maccabi supporters in violence surrounding a 2024 match in Amsterdam.

The IOPC said Guildford may have failed to ensure sufficient scrutiny of the intelligence briefing presented to the Safety Advisory Group. Investigators are also examining whether another senior officer failed to ensure the report was accurate and impartial.

The inquiry also covers whether the staff member failed to prevent inaccurate information from entering police briefings. Separately, the watchdog is considering whether another officer failed to properly engage with Birmingham’s Jewish community and showed a lack of impartiality toward Maccabi supporters.

A British parliamentary committee previously concluded that it could not rule out political influence in the decision. The Home Affairs Committee said the process gave local politicians with stated political positions a disproportionate opportunity to influence the decision.

Guildford retired as chief constable in January after then-Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she had lost confidence in his leadership following the controversy.

West Midlands Police said it is cooperating fully with the investigation and acknowledged that the episode damaged public trust in the force.