An extensive police operation, involving more than 700 officers, is being mounted in Birmingham in anticipation of the UEFA Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. West Midlands Police have indicated the deployment is intended to ensure public safety and address any potential crime or disorder during the event on Thursday. Warnings regarding potential disruption and protests have been issued by authorities.
The operation will utilize various police resources, including mounted units, canine teams, a drone unit, and road policing officers across the city. Members of the public who are not attending the game at Villa Park are advised to avoid the immediate area to minimize inconvenience.
This heightened security follows a previous decision last month to ban away fans from the fixture, which subsequently became a subject of parliamentary debate. The Israeli club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, later announced that its supporters would not travel to Birmingham for the match, citing safety concerns.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdeg6jw6p8jo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss