West Midlands Police’s new acting chief constable, Scott Green, has vowed to repair the damage caused by the controversial ban on Israeli football fans at a recent match in Birmingham. The incident has strained relations between the force and local communities, prompting a renewed focus on rebuilding trust.
Green, who assumed the role following Craig Guildford’s retirement amidst criticism, declared a “critical incident” on his first day, highlighting the significant harm done to community relations and the force’s reputation after the Maccabi Tel Aviv match against Aston Villa last November. The ban on away fans was imposed due to public safety concerns over potential violence linked to Maccabi’s ‘ultras’ and anticipated protests from pro-Palestine groups.
The decision, made by the Birmingham City Council-chaired Safety Advisory Group, sparked widespread backlash from political leaders, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who called it the “wrong decision.” Birmingham MP and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed no confidence in Guildford following a damning interim report that revealed multiple errors and poor governance in handling the situation.
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At the Police and Crime Commissioner’s accountability board meeting, chaired by PCC Simon Foster on January 27, Green acknowledged the profound impact of the police’s actions. He stated, “We have lost public trust and damaged relationships, especially with the Jewish community locally, nationally, and internationally.” After meeting with members of the Jewish community, Green described the pain caused and praised their resilience and honesty.
In response, West Midlands Police have committed to ensuring all hate crime reports receive thorough investigations by specially trained detectives. Acting Deputy Chief Constable Jennifer Mattinson admitted that police engagement with the Jewish community was insufficient before the match and highlighted procedural failings, including unrecorded virtual meetings that left critical intelligence unverified.
As part of Operation Strive, which was launched following the controversy, the force will provide antisemitism training for all staff and apply enhanced scrutiny to all hate crime investigations. A police spokesperson confirmed this approach applies universally to all hate crime victims.
Additionally, the force has suspended the use of Microsoft’s AI assistant Copilot after it was found to have generated false information about a non-existent match between West Ham and Tel Aviv, exposing risks connected to AI “hallucinations” in official reports.
Throughout the hearing, Green refrained from disclosing details on police intelligence related to terrorism threats or alleged local intentions to arm themselves, citing ongoing Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigations. He emphasized transparency, noting he had voluntarily referred the incident to the IOPC on his first day.
Green accepted all findings from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) interim report, acknowledging elements of confirmation bias and overstated evidence in the force’s decision-making. As part of Operation Strive, the force will examine “organisational bias” to prevent similar missteps.
While Green recognized the force’s strengths in many areas, he stressed that improved community engagement from the outset could have avoided much of the fallout. PCC Simon Foster reiterated that such failures must not occur again. Regarding Guildford’s delayed departure, Foster explained legal complexities prevented immediate dismissal despite the problematic decision.
With accountability reforms underway, West Midlands Police are focused on regaining public confidence through openness, improved community relations, and a commitment to take all hate crime seriously.