Acting Police Chief Vows to Mend Ties with Jewish Community After Fan Ban Fallout
West Midlands Police's newly appointed acting chief constable has declared a critical incident as the force seeks to recover from the damaging fallout of the controversial Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban. Scott Green, who stepped into the role following the retirement of former chief Craig Guildford, acknowledged the profound damage caused to community relations and pledged immediate action to repair trust.
Critical Incident Declared Amidst Leadership Change
The controversy erupted when Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were barred from attending their team's match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on November 6. The local safety advisory group made the decision based on police advice citing safety concerns, but the move sparked widespread condemnation from political leaders including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who called it the "wrong decision."
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood subsequently expressed that she had lost confidence in Mr Guildford's leadership, leading to mounting pressure that ultimately resulted in his retirement. Mr Guildford described facing what he termed a "political and media frenzy" before stepping down from his position.
Damaged Trust and Community Relations
At Tuesday's Police and Crime Commissioner accountability and governance board meeting in Birmingham, chaired by PCC Simon Foster, Mr Green delivered a frank assessment of the situation. "The direct impact of our actions has been a loss of the trust and confidence from the public in the West Midlands," he stated. "More specifically, I know we have damaged our relationship with individuals and the Jewish community, locally, nationally and internationally."
The acting chief constable revealed he had met with Jewish community representatives last week and was "personally saddened" to hear about the impact of the force's actions. He praised the "courage and resilience" of those who shared their experiences with him during what he acknowledged were "difficult times."
Operation Strive Launched to Address Failings
In response to the crisis, West Midlands Police has launched Operation Strive, a comprehensive initiative focused on recovering from the incident and preventing similar situations in future. Acting deputy chief constable Jennifer Mattinson admitted several critical failings in the force's approach, including that engagement with the local Jewish community began too late in the planning process.
Ms Mattinson acknowledged the force should have consulted with multiple international police forces who have experience hosting Israeli football team supporters, rather than relying primarily on Dutch police advice. She also expressed regret that a virtual meeting with Dutch police colleagues was not properly recorded for reference.
Concrete Measures to Combat Antisemitism
As part of Operation Strive, West Midlands Police has committed to several specific actions. All antisemitic hate crimes will now be investigated by a detective, and comprehensive antisemitism training will be provided to all staff members. The force has also suspended its use of Microsoft's AI assistant Copilot after it was discovered that details of a non-existent match between West Ham and Tel Aviv included in a report to the safety advisory group resulted from what was described as an "AI hallucination."
Transparency and Independent Investigation
During the accountability meeting, Mr Green declined to answer certain questions from PCC Simon Foster regarding potential terrorism threats and reports that local residents might arm themselves ahead of the fixture. He explained that providing such details could prejudice the ongoing Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation, to which he made a voluntary referral on his first day in the acting chief role.
"It is my intention, throughout this board and our subsequent approach, to answer every question with as much transparency and candour as I can," Mr Green assured attendees. "I want their investigation to not be prejudiced in any way by the answers I give today."
Addressing Systemic Issues and Bias
The acting chief constable accepted the findings of the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services report "in its entirety," including its conclusion that confirmation bias influenced how the force reached its preferred tactical option and that evidence had been "overstated."
Mr Green acknowledged that while the force maintains "robust and effective intelligence structures," the connection between public order policing and intelligence systems requires improvement. Part of Operation Strive will specifically examine "organisational bias" within the force's processes and decision-making.
Commitment to Lasting Change
Reflecting on lessons learned, Mr Green stated that "better local engagement from the outset would have made a real difference" in how the situation was handled. He committed to working closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner to rebuild community trust and ensure such incidents do not recur.
PCC Simon Foster concluded the meeting with a firm declaration that this situation "must never happen again," pledging that his team would continue holding the force accountable and ensuring Operation Strive proves "fit for purpose" in restoring public confidence in West Midlands Police.
