Ian Austin trying his best to not sound like a ****** but failing:
Schools around Villa Park will close early before powder-keg Maccabi Tel Aviv match
West Midlands Police informs Telegraph Sport closures were not based on recommendations by the force as envoy to Israel condemns actions
Ben Rumsby.
Tom Morgan
Sports News Correspondent
Related Topics
Aston Villa FC, Villa Park, Europa League, Birmingham, Israel-Hamas War, West Midlands Police
05 November 2025 3:25pm GMT
Schools in Birmingham are closing early on Thursday amid growing fears of unrest before Aston Villa’s Europa League game against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
BOA Creative, Digital & Performing Arts Academy confirmed it would shut at 1.15pm after its principal emailed parents stating “a number of schools in the local area” were doing similar due to “protests” planned around the match.
Mansfield Green E-ACT Primary Academy, which is less than a mile from Villa Park, also told parents it would shut at 2pm “due to the Villa match” and that “the gates will be open for you to collect your children” at that time.
The closures were condemned by Lord Austin, the UK trade envoy to Israel and a Villa season-ticket holder. He posted on X: “Local politicians and community leaders should be doing everything they can to improve education in areas like Aston and Lozells, not inflaming tensions and calling for boycotts, bans and protests that result in schools being closed early. What a disgrace.”
West Midlands Police told Telegraph Sport the closures had not been based on any recommendation by the force, while a spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said it was unaware how many schools were shutting early as a result of Thursday’s powder-keg fixture.
Wednesday’s news emerged two days after police announced there would be a heightened operation for the Villa-Maccabi game. More than 700 officers have been drafted in, with police horses and police dogs on hand despite a ban on away fans. The force said we will “mount a large policing operation”.
Police drones will monitor potential troublemakers after warnings the fixture could be targeted by extremist groups. Pro-Palestine, pro-Israel and some nationalist British supporter groups have signalled their intent to protest. All non-police drones will be restricted from flying within a one-mile radius of Villa Park between 2pm and 11.59pm.
West Midlands Police Force Football Unit on Tuesday also warned Villa supporters they faced “multiple ticket checks on the approach to the stadium” for the match.
Schools around Villa Park will close early on Thursday amid growing fears of unrest Credit: PA/Mike Egerton
Austin responded by posting: “@wmpolice told us Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were the problem and said they must be banned. Yet extraordinary measures – which I’ve never seen in 40+ years of going to Villa Park have to be implemented. The Police should deal with the extremists instead of capitulating to them.”
Last month, Maccabi released a statement saying it would reject any ticket allocation for the match amid fears that Tommy Robinson supporters could infiltrate their fans. Robinson said on X last month: “Who’s coming to support Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park on November 6th??”
The Israeli club have said their supporters would no longer be safe at the match after the prospect was mooted by the Government of lifting a council-led ban on away fans.
Ch Supt Tom Joyce said: “Anyone who breaks the law will be dealt with directly, as will those who incite hate. We have been working closely with Birmingham City Council, Aston Villa [and] our colleagues in other emergency services as we put in place our significant policing operation. People can expect to see a large number of uniformed officers, as well as police horses, police dogs, our drone unit, road policing unit, protest liaison officers and others.”
