What's happened?

Last month, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from attending Thursday's Europa League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park due to safety concerns, which drew immediate criticism from politicians, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The Israeli club later said in a statement they would not sell tickets to their fans for the match.

More than 700 police officers will be on duty with police horses, police dogs and a drone unit part of the operation, with protests by different groups set to take place on the day.

The decision to ban supporters was based on concerns from West Midlands Police about its ability to deal with potential protests relating to the war between Israel and Gaza.

West Midlands Police said the game has been classified as "high risk" having carried out a "thorough" assessment "based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam."

The UK Government said it was doing "everything in its power" to overturn the ban and ensure fans can safely attend the game.

On October 19, the Tel Aviv derby between Maccabi and Hapoel...