Police ‘Covered Up’ Threats to Maccabi Players as Internal Logs Contradict Public Claims

Summary: A redacted West Midlands Police internal log obtained by The Telegraph has been cited by politicians as evidence the force downplayed threats around Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv in November 2025, while publicly describing the operation as “largely peaceful”. West Midlands Police declined to comment.

Redacted police log prompts claims of downplaying risk

A redacted operational record from West Midlands Police has triggered renewed scrutiny of the force’s handling of security around Aston Villa’s match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 6, 2025.

The Telegraph reported that the “Silver Command” log included repeated references to groups gathering and concerns about disorder, alongside internal discussion about how police communications should describe the day.

What the log is reported to show

According to the report, entries in the log referred to sightings of “masked-up” groups and “groups of males” heading towards the stadium area.

The Telegraph said the log included a description of “Asian youths looking to fight”, and noted that police resources were deployed in response.

“Groups of Asian youths looking to fight.”

The report also described police concerns about activity around the team’s hotel earlier in the day, including individuals filming and comments suggesting the location might be circulating on social media.

It further stated that, as the day progressed, the log recorded groups ranging from dozens to around 100 people gathering in the area, with police prepared to use public order powers.

How public messaging is alleged to have differed

The Telegraph reported that later log entries discussed issuing a statement describing the match day as “largely peaceful” with “few arrests”, with the stated aim of reducing online escalation.

“Largely peaceful, few arrests etc” to “dampen down online sentiment”.

Following the match, the force publicly said the operation had passed “without major incident”, with “no serious disorder and no disruption to the game,” according to the report.

Political reaction and competing claims

Several politicians quoted by The Telegraph accused West Midlands Police of misrepresenting the nature of the threat in public statements and of failing to act proportionately on intelligence.

Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, wrote that police were “pandering” to Islamists and that “police can no longer sustain their authority in parts of Britain,” the newspaper reported.

“Police can no longer sustain their authority in parts of Britain.”

Nick Timothy, the Conservative MP, was quoted describing the episode as an example of “fitting the intelligence” to justify a pre-determined decision, and criticised the force’s public communications.

Questions over the supporter ban and intelligence handling

The controversy follows earlier debate over the decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the match in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police previously said the restriction was “exclusively” linked to “the behaviour of a subsection” of supporters, according to the report. The Telegraph also referenced allegations that evidence was produced retrospectively to justify the decision.

The article further said police told the Home Affairs Select Committee that “high-confidence intelligence” existed indicating some individuals were planning to “arm themselves” to attack visiting supporters, and that this intelligence was withheld.

What happens next

The report is likely to increase pressure on senior leadership at West Midlands Police, including Chief Constable Craig Guildford, amid calls from some public figures for resignation or disciplinary action.

Key outstanding issues include what intelligence was available in the lead-up to the match, how risk was assessed, and whether official communications accurately reflected operational concerns recorded internally.

West Midlands Police declined to comment on the findings, The Telegraph reported.