A top UK police chief has retired amid public and political pressure following a controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from a Birmingham match. Craig Guildford, 52, who served as chief constable of West Midlands Police, stepped down on Friday, Jan. 16, after criticism mounted over his force’s handling of the issue.
West Midlands Police had recommended barring Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the Nov. 6 UEFA Europa League match against Aston Villa, citing security concerns. The decision triggered widespread backlash in both Britain and Israel. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the ban, while Israeli leaders labeled it “antisemitic,” intensifying diplomatic tensions.
Simon Foster, the regional crime commissioner, confirmed Guildford’s retirement, describing the controversy as a “significant distraction” for the force, which oversees Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city.
In his own statement, Guildford acknowledged the pressure surrounding the issue, saying, “The political and media frenzy around myself and my position has become detrimental to all the great work undertaken by my officers and staff.”
Britain’s interior minister, Shabana Mahmood, praised Guildford’s decision to step down, stating he had “done the right thing.” Earlier this week, Mahmood announced she had lost confidence in the chief constable following a preliminary report by the policing watchdog, which found that West Midlands Police “overstated” the threat posed by Maccabi fans to justify the ban.
“The chief constable of West Midlands Police no longer has my confidence,” Mahmood, also the local MP for Birmingham, told parliament. She has since proposed reforms that would give the interior minister authority to dismiss failing local chief constables—a power currently held only by regional crime commissioners like Foster.
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of a highly diverse Birmingham population. Around 30 percent of residents are Muslim, according to the 2021 census, and the city has seen numerous pro-Palestinian protests since the 2023 outbreak of the Gaza war, including demonstrations on the night of the match.
The independent report, led by police chief inspector Andy Cooke, accused West Midlands Police of “confirmation bias,” saying the force sought evidence only to justify a predetermined decision rather than objectively assessing the risk. Mahmood stated that the review “shows that the police overstated the threat posed by the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, while understating the risk that was posed to the Israeli fans if they travelled to the area.”
West Midlands Police issued an apology on Wednesday, acknowledging the mistakes and expressing regret for their impact on communities. “We know that mistakes were made, but reiterate the findings that none of this was done with an intent of deliberate distortion or discrimination,” the force said.
The fan ban had been enforced by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), following the police’s assessment that the match was “high risk.” However, the watchdog’s report identified eight inaccuracies in the force’s advice to SAG, including a reference to a non-existent match between Tel Aviv and West Ham, initially claimed to be found via a Google search. Guildford later admitted in a letter to MPs that the erroneous information originated from Microsoft Copilot, an AI chatbot, contradicting his earlier testimony.
Other errors highlighted by the report included exaggerated claims about clashes between Maccabi fans and locals in Amsterdam in November 2024, which had influenced the perceived risk of allowing fans to travel to Birmingham.
The controversy has cast a shadow over West Midlands Police, highlighting the challenges law enforcement faces in balancing public safety with civil liberties and international sensitivities. As Guildford departs, the force now faces scrutiny and calls for greater accountability in decision-making processes, particularly when sensitive cultural or political issues are involved.
