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Former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has launched a withering attack at community leaders after Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from the forthcoming Aston Villa match. Sir Andy Street, previously the Conservative mayor, said the city has been left looking Writing for BirminghamLive today , Sir Andy said it was a "disgrace" and "against everything our city stands for" that fans were unable to attend the November 6 fixture. Read more: 'We stand with you sister' - residents speak out after 'racially aggravated rape' BirminghamLive previously reported how some fans were boycotting the fixture against the Isreali side in protest over Gaza. Then Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group stopped travelling fans attending the Europa League fixture "on safety grounds". Sir Andy said: "There is no defending this. And there is certainly no defending the leadership that have allowed the city’s reputation to be battered once again. "There is no denying the heightened tensions that would have come with this game. Due to the atrocities in Gaza there is an incredible strength of feeling within this city - a strength of feeling that has been allowed to be communicated regularly and safely, not least in the form of protests. "I therefore have no reason to question the professional advice West Midlands Police gave - and the resulting guidance provided by the Safety Advisory Group. "Both groups would have had legitimate concerns about safety of all fans, and special measures would have been needed to deal with away fans with a bad record. But instead it’s from here that our city has let itself down so badly. "For our leaders not to see - and then act upon - the inevitable political, social, and reputational consequences of telling a section of society they cannot be kept safe is at best naive - and at worst inept." Sir Andy is not the only senior politician to aim criticism at the move. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the move to block fans attending "wrong", adding "we will "not tolerate antisemitism on our streets", while there has also been criticism from other party leaders. Downing Street said the Home Office was "urgently working to support police to try and find a way through this" and Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy was meeting officials. However, ultimately Maccabi called time on it and said it would not be applying for tickets. The chief constable of West Midlands Police says the force "hasn't failed anybody" as he defended the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from next month's fixture with Aston Villa. Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: "I've read some of the intelligence that's been received and the assessment that's been made," he added. "It's based on professional judgement."
