LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Britain's crime commissioner for the West Midlands said on Friday the region's police chief would retire following mounting criticism for the force's recommendation to ban
West Midlands Police Chief Resigns Amid Controversy Over Fan Ban
Controversy Surrounding the Fan Ban
LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The chief constable of Britain's West Midlands Police force said he would retire immediately on Friday after being heavily criticised over a decision to ban soccer fans of Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a game at Aston Villa last year.
Background of the Decision
The West Midlands force, which covers Birmingham in central England and is one of Britain's biggest, recommended that the Israeli fans should not be allowed to attend a Europa League match on November 6 because of security concerns.
Political and Community Reactions
The decision caused a diplomatic dispute, coming shortly after an antisemitic attack that killed two men at a synagogue in northwest England and when tensions were high because of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
Outcome of the Match
A report by the police watchdog this week found there had been a number of mistakes made by the West Midlands force, including basing its decision on a match which never took place and failing to communicate with the local Jewish community.
Subsequently interior minister Shabana Mahmood said she no longer had confidence in the force's chief constable, Craig Guildford, and on Friday he said he would retire with immediate effect.
"I have come to the conclusion that the political and media frenzy around myself and my position has become detrimental to all the great work undertaken by my officers and staff in serving communities across the West Midlands," he said in a statement.
The decision to ban Israeli fans was condemned by both the British and Israeli governments. Jewish community leaders accused the force of misrepresenting intelligence and undermining public confidence.
Mahmood said Guildford had done the right thing.
"The findings of the Chief Inspector were damning. They set out a catalogue of failings that have harmed trust in West Midlands Police," she said in a statement
The game in November went ahead without major disruptions, though police made 11 arrests when pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli supporters demonstrated outside the stadium.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti and Michael Holden; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
