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MPs Order West Midlands Police Chief Back Over Maccabi Fan Ban Evidence

The move follows questions over flawed intelligence, from a fictitious fixture to an unrecorded Dutch call.

Overview

  • Home Affairs Committee told Chief Constable Craig Guildford to return in the new year and warned that misleading Parliament is a serious matter.
  • The committee demanded documents from West Midlands Police, Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group and the UK Football Policing Unit, including SAG minutes and the force’s community impact assessment.
  • West Midlands Police issued a clarification after Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara’s claim of Jewish community support for excluding fans was shown to be untrue.
  • Errors cited include reference to a non‑existent Maccabi–West Ham match, an assumed Dutch policing figure, and reliance on an unminuted conversation disputed by Dutch authorities.
  • An HMICFRS review of the intelligence is under way at the Home Secretary’s direction, while Guildford says he is not considering resignation; the Nov. 6 match proceeded without away fans, with protests and 11 arrests.