VIDEO SHOWS: LEADER OF UK OPPOSITION CONSERVATIVE PARTY KEMI BADENOCH COMMENTING ON POLICE DECISION TO BAN MACCABI TEL AVIV FANS FROM ATTENDING SOCCER MATCH AGAINST ASTON VILLA NEXT MONTH EDITORS NOTE – FOR RELATED COVERAGE PLEASE SEE: 4403-SOCCER-EUROPA-AVL-MTA/ 4497-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/BRITAIN-SOCCER RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (OCTOBER 17, 2025) (UK POOL – No use UK, except UK newspapers) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER, KEMI BADENOCH, SAYING: "I think it is a national disgrace. This is something that the police should be able to deal with. We cannot be a country where we tell Jewish people that they can't come to watch football because their security is not going to be looked after. What I want to see is the police finding ways to make sure they can be secure and sending the message to the Islamists and those who are pushing anti-Jewish hatred that this does not happen in the UK. Britain has always been a sanctuary for Jews and it always should be." 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER, KEMI BADENOCH, SAYING: "Yes, they (the police) should (overturn their decision to ban fans). And if not, the Home Secretary should get involved. Last week she was telling us all the things that she wanted to do for Jewish people. I didn't believe her then. I remember when she was lying down in front of a Sainsbury's because it was selling Israeli goods. They need to give confidence to Jewish people in our country. And if the Home Secretary can't do it, then the Prime Minister should. He needs to show that he's got a backbone and isn't so weak that he will just allow Jewish people to be terrorized here. And I would say this, what starts with Jews doesn't end with Jews. We cannot have mob rule in this country where other people can intimidate certain groups in the community. And the police say it's all too difficult. It's simply not good enough." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER, KEMI BADENOCH, SAYING: "We are talking about race hatred. If it had been a group of black footballers coming in, they would not be saying this, if it had been a group of footballers of any other ethnicity nobody would be saying that we can't protect you because of your ethnicity. And making an exception for Jews, I think that is quite wrong. That is not what this country is. People need to show some backbone and provide the security that the Jewish people in this country need." STORY: The British opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said on Friday (October 17) that a decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a soccer match against Aston Villa in Birmingham in November was a "national disgrace". West Midlands Police said they had recommended the ban on Maccabi fans to ensure public safety. In November 2024, more than 60 people were arrested in Amsterdam after clashes following a match between Maccabi and Ajax. Badenoch called for the decision to be overturned and for police to find ways to make sure fans are safe. British Prime Keir Starmer earlier called the ban "the wrong decision". A British regional police commissioner has asked for an immediate review of the ban. (Production: Millie McCaughan)
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