THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
The job of the police is simple. Protect those following the law. Arrest those breaking it. This is not complicated. Yet West Midlands Police failed this basic test spectacularly.
Israeli football fans wanted to attend a match in Birmingham. They had every right to be there. They broke no laws. But local extremist groups threatened violence against them. The police knew about these threats. They had intelligence. They understood the danger.
So what did the police do? They banned the victims. They told the Israeli fans to stay away. They let the thugs win.
The Wrong Choice
This was not a difficult decision. When criminals threaten innocent people, you arrest the criminals. You don’t punish the innocent. A child understands this. Yet Chief Constable Craig Guildford chose differently.
The police consulted eight Muslim groups. Three of these groups had hosted preachers who spread hatred against Jews. These were the people police asked for advice. Meanwhile, they claimed to consult Jewish leaders but admitted there was no record that British Jews actually wanted this ban.
The police made their decision first. Then they looked for excuses to justify it.
What This Really Means
Let’s be clear about what happened here. Extremists said “we will attack Jews if they come to our city.” The police response was “okay, Jews can’t come then.”
This is surrender. This is appeasement. This is the police taking orders from violent thugs instead of enforcing the law.
If you threaten violence and the police give you what you want, you’ve won. And you’ll do it again. Why wouldn’t you? It works.
The Precedent
Every criminal in Britain now knows something important. Threaten enough violence and the police will restrict your targets instead of arresting you. Make enough noise and the police will consult you about what should be allowed in your area.
This is not policing. This is capitulation.
Football fans today. Who tomorrow? Which community gets protected and which gets told to stay home for their own safety? Who decides what’s allowed in Britain – the law or the mob?
Two Standards
Imagine if white extremists threatened to attack a mosque. Would police ban Muslims from attending prayers? Would they consult Tommy Robinson about community relations? The idea is absurd.
Yet when extremists threatened Jews, police consulted groups linked to antisemitic preachers. They took their concerns seriously. They acted on their advice.
One rule for some. Another rule for others. This is not equal protection under law.
Accountability Required
Chief Constable Craig Guildford must go. This is not about one bad decision. This is about a fundamental failure to understand what policing means in a free society.
You do not negotiate with extremists about who gets to walk freely in British cities. You do not ask violent groups for permission. You do not reward threats with compliance.
Leaders who don’t understand this cannot be trusted with the responsibility of law enforcement.
Public Confidence Destroyed
People need to trust that police will protect them equally. That the law applies to everyone the same way. That being threatened doesn’t make you the problem.
West Midlands Police shattered that trust. They showed that some communities matter more than others. They demonstrated that making threats is an effective strategy.
How can Jewish people in Birmingham feel safe now? How can anyone feel confident that police will protect them if extremists decide they shouldn’t be somewhere?
The Bottom Line
The police had one job. Protect the fans who had every right to be there. Arrest anyone who attacked them. Prosecute those who made threats.
They failed.
They chose the easy path over the right path. They listened to extremists instead of upholding the law. They punished the innocent to appease the guilty.
This is unacceptable. Heads must roll. Standards must be restored. The public deserves police who protect everyone equally, without fear or favour.
Anything less is not policing. It’s betrayal.
References
1.https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/01/07/mps-say-police-chief-uk-should-be-fired-accused-covering-up-threat-maccabi-tel-aviv-fans/
2.https://www.gbnews.com/news/maccabi-tel-aviv-fan-ban-west-midlands-police-chief-under-pressure-to-resign
3.https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/police-ban-maccabi-fans-wrong-5HjdQKG_2/
4.https://rozenberg.substack.com/p/hac-v-wmp
5.https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/maccabi-fans-banning-senior-uk-police-official-faces-resignation-calls/
6.https://bod.org.uk/bod-news/jewish-leadership-organisations-call-for-west-midlands-polices-chief-constable-craig-guildford-to-go/
