Phil Mackie,Midlands correspondentand
Tanya Gupta,West Midlands
Reuters
More than 700 officers were deployed in Birmingham to police the match
Hundreds of protesters descended on Birmingham to demonstrate at the controversial Aston Villa match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Eleven arrests were made amid a huge police operation, with more than 700 officers deployed for the Europa League game.
A large number of pro-Palestinian supporters waved banners and flags outside Villa Park, while a smaller group of pro-Israeli campaigners marched towards the ground in the wake of the decision to ban away fans.
Ch Supt Tom Joyce said the vast police presence had been necessary due to several groups arranging protests and counter-protests.
PA Media
Hundreds of protesters were met with a large police presence outside Villa Park
“We police football matches a lot. We police protests a lot. We deal with all sorts of public order scenarios, but certainly the level of interest, the level of concern around this match is pretty unprecedented.”
Among those arrested were five people on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences.
A man aged 34 and another, 29, were held in connection with abuse shouted towards pro-Israel demonstrators, while a man aged 32 was detained over abuse shouted towards a pro-Palestine group, police said.
In addition, racist abuse during a road rage incident near the stadium saw a 63-year-old man detained, and racist abuse of a police officer led to the arrest of a man, 67.
There were also arrests on suspicion of drugs and breach of peace offences, and a boy, 17, police said, was held for failing to comply with a dispersal order. They added a 21-year-old man was held for failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask.
One man, 21, was arrested after allegedly trying to throw fireworks into the ground.
There were minor scuffles shortly before the match began at 20: 00 GMT as the final groups of fans made their way into the ground past the demonstrations.
Reuters
Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the ground in a demonstration against the match going ahead
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving flags and banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza.
A counter-protest by pro-Israeli campaigners marched down a road outside Vil
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