The match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa on Thursday has continued to stir controversy in England and in the city of Birmingham. Now, after the police decided to avoid allocating 500 tickets to British Jewish fans, it appears they won't be able to prevent their arrival at the match through other means.
Josh Howie, a prominent comedian and television host of Jewish descent, delivered a speech on GB News ahead of the match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa. In his speech, he sharply criticized the city and police policy and announced he would attend the match as an act of protest.
Howie criticized "bullies" who wanted "to ban Jews" from attending the match, and believes other Jews should join him to stand up for British democracy.
'I am a British Jew, and on Thursday I am going to Birmingham to watch a football match!'
Josh Howie slams 'bullies' who wanted to 'ban Jews' from attending the Aston Villa match against Tel Aviv Maccabi, and believes others should join him to stand up for British democracy. pic.twitter.com/4LPwFK2RMp
— GB News (@GBNEWS) November 2, 2025
More Jewish organizations are joining Howie's call, stating, "What was supposed to be just a soccer match could go down in British history – as the night when our second city, 80 years after its victory over the Nazis, tested whether it would surrender to Islamofascists led by MP Javed Khan and his associates Ahmad Yaqub and Shakeel Afsar. Resist."
Pro-Palestinian protest groups planning to attend the match are calling it "the battle for Birmingham," claiming the entire city is united "against Israel." "We have over 30 organizations that are going to show up, families and fans who are going to show the fury we have toward Israel." The organizations claim the protests will be non-violent, but local police are preparing for major tensions between Muslims and Jews.
As a reminder, Maccabi Tel Aviv decided to forfeit the allocation it received in any case, due to the danger of confrontations, but in England, officials understand that Jewish and Israeli fans will likely arrive at the match anyway.
