Hundreds of protesters at Maccabi-Villa game
15 minutes ago Share Save Phil Mackie, Midlands correspondent and Tanya Gupta, West Midlands Share Save
PA Media Police forces from across the country have been drafted in, as protesters gather outside the stadium
Hundreds of protesters are in Birmingham as the controversial Aston Villa match against Maccabi Tel Aviv kicks off. A huge police operation with more than 700 officers, dogs, horses and drones is under way for the Uefa Europa League match, which kicks off at 20:00 GMT. Ch Supt Tom Joyce said several groups had been expected to protest, including pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli campaigners, in the wake of the controversial decision to ban away fans from the game. "We police football matches a lot. We police protests a lot.
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