The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, is fighting to keep his job amid a furious row over the force's decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match last year. A damning parliamentary hearing revealed the ban was advised based on intelligence about local 'vigilante groups', rather than the behaviour of the Israeli club's supporters.
Revealed: Protest Plot to Target Players and Spotters at Stadium
Claims have emerged that pro-Palestine activists plotted to spy on Maccabi Tel Aviv players ahead of their match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in November. A message on a group chat linked to the West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign allegedly urged members to search 'hotel lobbies and dining areas' for players the night before the game.
The message, seen by The Telegraph, stated the match could still be cancelled if activists obstructed the team from attending. It also called for 'spotters' at the stadium to watch entrances for the team coach. 'We can then mount a quick response, to protest them, or the spotters can follow them back to their hotels... and mobilise a protest at the hotel,' the message continued.
Labour peer Lord Austin, who campaigns against anti-Semitism, described the message as 'further proof' of threats from local extremists that police had ignored. The West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign stated the message was deleted and did not represent the campaign's views.
Police Accused of Capitulating to Extremist Threats
The controversy centres on the decision by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to bar all travelling Maccabi fans from the Europa League clash on 6 November. West Midlands Police had recommended the ban on safety grounds.
However, evidence given to the Home Affairs Committee (HAC) last week revealed a different story. Officers stated their initial concern was prompted by 'high confidence intelligence' received as early as 5 September about local community members wanting to 'arm' themselves ahead of the Israeli team's visit. The force admitted the threat was from 'vigilante groups' within the local community, not from Maccabi supporters themselves.
Following the hearing, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused West Midlands Police of capitulating to 'Islamists', stating on X: 'They knew extremists were planning to attack Jews for going to a football match, and their response was to blame and remove Jewish people instead.'
Chief Constable's Head 'On the Chopping Block'
The political fallout has landed squarely on Chief Constable Craig Guildford, appointed in 2022. Suky Samra, the Tory councillor who chairs the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel, warned that if an imminent report by the police inspectorate finds the force was swayed by 'pressure from community leaders', it was 'not just (Mr Guildford's) head on the chopping block' but also those of his senior colleagues.
Mr Samra, who endorsed Mr Guildford's appointment, has organised an emergency meeting to discuss the way forward. He stated that while the Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, holds the power to sack the chief constable, the panel must have confidence in the force's leadership. 'If this decision was made not on the basis of the evidence, then it puts Mr Guildford and his senior colleagues in a difficult position,' he said.
Sir Andy Cooke, His Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary, is expected to present his findings to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood this week. While she cannot directly sack Mr Guildford, she can publicly withdraw confidence and instruct the Commissioner to consider suspension or dismissal.
West Midlands Police maintains its recommendation was based on safety evidence. The force and Mr Guildford await the inspectorate's report, which will likely determine the chief constable's future.
