Birmingham sees McCabe-Vella demos amid ‘unprecedented’ policing.

Hundreds of protesters descended on Birmingham ahead of Aston Villa’s controversial match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

A massive police operation involving more than 700 officers, dogs, horses and drones is now underway, in preparation for the European Football League match, which kicks off at 20:00 GMT.

Superintendent Tom Joyce said several groups, including pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel activists, were expected to protest following the controversial decision to ban fans from attending the match.

“We monitor football matches a lot. We monitor protests a lot. We deal with all kinds of public order scenarios, but certainly the level of interest and level of concern around this match is pretty much unprecedented,” he said.

The police arrested six people before the start of the match, three of them on suspicion of committing racist crimes related to public order.

A 21-year-old man was arrested for failing to comply with a face mask order, and a 17-year-old boy was detained for failing to comply with a dispersal order. Another person was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the stadium, waving flags and banners demanding an end to the violence in Gaza.

A counter-protest of pro-Israel activists marched on a road outside Villa Park. Five flatbed vehicles were also driven on the ground before the start of the Europa League match, carrying electronic billboards displaying messages opposing anti-Semitism.

One message read, next to a Star of David, “Ban hate, not fans,” while another carried a quote from Thierry Henry saying that football is not about goals but about bringing people together.

On Thursday, the number of officers in the West Midlands force was boosted from 10 forces across the country.

Birmingham Police Chief Cho Supt Joyce said police had prepared for the possibility of people showing up looking for a fight.

“We recognize that those groups that will not engage with this may emerge with different motivations than those who want to protest lawfully,” he said.

“The policing you can see is partly a reflection of the need to deal with that.”

He told Sky News that “significant levels of hooliganism” among Maccabi’s fan base were the reason for the ban.

Police are using Section 60 powers – which allow officers to stop and search anyone – in an area stretching from Aston and Perry Barr to Birmingham New Street and the city centre, which began at midday and continues until 03:00 on Friday.

Villa fan Adam Selway turned up for the match wearing a half-and-half scarf in the colors of the home team and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The 48-year-old said he felt sympathy for the fans who were unable to attend and simply wanted to watch a football match, but he did not make any political statement.

He added: “It’s not about politics, it’s about football.” “It’s not the Villa fans who don’t want anyone here – the Villa fans who want the away fans here.”

Earlier, those who live and work in the city near Villa Park saw shops and schools close early.

Meanwhile, Jewish Villa fan Elliot Ludwig expressed his concerns about attending the match.

Ludwig, who was going to the match with his son, told the BBC: “I’m apprehensive about what will happen. I’m apprehensive about the possibility of violence for one thing.

He added: “I am afraid of the various unpleasant things that we may encounter along the way, whether off the field or on the field.”

He said his other main emotion was “disappointment.”

“Is it worth going to a football match to expose myself to some kind of risk or expose my son to all kinds of unpleasant things that you might not want to happen?” he asked.

Among those calling for calm was a group of fans, Punjabi Villains, who urged people to respect each other and for everyone to return home safely, posting on social media: “We are in this together. Football unites us.”

On Wednesday night, Maccabi Tel Aviv chief executive Jack Angelides said it was “very sad” his team’s fans could not be there, adding: “Politics should never be dragged into football.”

As plans for protests were drawn up earlier in the week, Naeem Malik, chair of the West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said there was national outrage over hosting the Israeli team.

He added: “The calls to cancel this match were ignored despite the risks it poses, so activists must be urged to unite in protest against this match.”

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Stop the War Coalition, the Muslim Association of Britain, the Friends of Al-Aqsa, the Kashmir Solidarity Campaign, and the Palestinian Forum in Britain had called for the match to be canceled and jointly organized one of the protests.