Maccabi Tel Aviv is one of the biggest and oldest clubs in Israel’s Premier League. In return, it has had to endure a history fraught with fan violence and political activism. The club has attracted a problematic, nihilistic, far-right, youth male following. Their fans often blur the lines between sports and political protest. This legacy leaves us with profound questions regarding what it means to be patriotic in today’s society. Recent trouble involving the club’s supporters only adds to these fears.
The incident grew controversially fierce when supporters of the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv responded with deeply brutish conduct. This included a dangerous assault on a set of demonstrators who were protesting against then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2020. Those measures have fueled a nationwide firestorm of anger and alarm. As such, opponents of the fans’ tactics and leaders at the political level have expressed concern over the public safety risks this violence could create.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have a history of racist and anti-Arab slogans as well. Over the years, supporters have demonstrated these feelings at games. This has fostered an environment that can only be accurately characterized as hostile to non-Jewish people. A ten years ago, fans displayed an incendiary banner that said “refugees (no) welcome.” This incident cemented them as a bastion of intolerance.
The club’s supporters have long been a scourge of violence at home and abroad. High-profile cases have included a nasty clash that recently broke out in the Netherlands’ capital Amsterdam last winter. Yet such actions have led to tragic repercussions. As a result, West Midlands police have taken the highly unusual step of banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their Europa League group stage match against Aston Villa. Authorities listed worries about potential violence as the chief rationale for this unusual preemptive action.
Support for this bold decision came from far and wide, from political rivals Ed Davey, Kemi Badenoch, Keir Starmer, and Nigel Farage. Their support highlights the increasing concerns about the influence of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and political radicalism.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s relationship with politics extends beyond fan behavior. It is reflected in the club’s history. Their fans have established patterns of harassing Arab taxi drivers and assaulting pro-Palestinian protestors in more violent outbursts. Further, anti-Arab graffiti appeared in cities that have been visited by fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv, suggesting an alarming trend of intolerance.
Tommy Robinson, a well-known far-right activist, plans to attend an upcoming match at Villa Park as a supporter of Maccabi Tel Aviv. His presence only adds to concern that the club’s administration is fanning the flames and will lead to more intense confrontations and violence involving the clubs’ fan base.
Even with the controversies that have followed them, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters haven’t wavered in taking their powerful and often unpopular messages to the streets. Observers have noted that this fervent display of loyalty often manifests as hostility against those they perceive as enemies, including associations with Hamas.
Some commentators have rightly called out the fact that a lot of fans seem to be acting like they just don’t care.
“There’s nothing we can do. [They just hate Arabs]” – www.dw.com/en/violent-protests-in-israel-when-far-right-football-fans-take-to-the-streets/a-54463825
The complicated interplay between football and politics in Israel shapes a dangerous and toxic environment that tests the boundaries of patriotism. For many, however, rooting for Maccabi Tel Aviv provides them with a sense of national pride. Fear of bigotry and violence for many, it conjures a disturbing reality.