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VIDEO SHOWS: PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP THE RING-SHAPED FAMOUS BUILDING ON LAUSANNE CAMPUS, THE VORTEX BUILDING DURING A RACE ORGANIZED BY EPFL STUDENT / DRONE SHOTS OF THE VORTEX RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: CHAVANNES-PRES-RENENS, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF VORTEX BUILDING 2. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 3. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 4. RUNNERS CROSSING THE FINISH LINE 5. RUNNERS HUGGING AT THE END OF THE RACE 6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT FROM GENEVA, RICKY VAN DEN OUWELAND, SAYING:     “Honestly, the race is incredible, going around in circles like that, I think it was original. It was tough, but yeah, only good feelings, only fun.” 7. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 8. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF VORTEX BUILDING / LAKE GENEVA  9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 33 YEAR OLD GENEVA RESIDENT, ALEX RUEFF, SAYING:     “The sunset was magnificent and incredible. And then as soon as you arrive here, a crazy atmosphere, everyone screaming and in fact with the sound effect it resonates. So you cannot not be in the mood, it's incredible. Honestly it's the first time I've done it, we'll come back.” 10. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 11. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 12. (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT AT EPFL, NOEMIE KERR, SAYING:     “It's very original, and in fact the slope is super gentle and so you don't feel like you're going up, so it's really great.” 13. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) (LEFT TO RIGHT) FORMER STUDENT FROM EPFL, DAVID CANOVA, LAUSANNE RESIDENT ADRIEN VAZQUEZ AND STUDENT NEAR LAUSANNE, ISMAEL NICOULIN, SAYING: NICOULIN: “So it was tough, I think you can confirm?” VAZQUEZ: “It makes your head spin.” NICOULIN: “And we don't have many points of reference, as we're going around in circles, it's a little hard to know where we are in the race.” CANOVA: “At the same time, we're so focused on telling ourselves, 'Let's run, let's go all out, all out, all out, all out, and you see everything spinning, people spinning around, it's an incredible feeling.” 15. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CO-ORGANIZER OF THE VORTEX RACE, CHLOE BACHTOLD, SAYING:     “It's pretty crazy, it's really like a 3D stadium, so we have this kind of atmosphere where down below there's music, people cheering everywhere, it resonates in this building and people are quite lost because they're going up but they don't feel it because it's only a 1% slope, so people are running but don't really realize they're going up. They often don't know where they are in the race, they're running but they don't know if they're on floor 1, 2, 3, 4. So we put up signs to help them – second lap, fourth lap – to help them get their bearings. And really you have this sound going up, this encouragement all the way and the atmosphere is pretty crazy.” 17. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF VORTEX BUILDING AT NIGHT 18. RUNNER STARTING HIS RACE 19. VARIOUS OF RUNNER ARRIVING IN THE VORTEX 20. PEOPLE CHEERING RUNNER AND DOING A HOLA 21. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 22. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 23. RUNNER DURING HIS RACE BEING ENCOURAGED BY PEOPLE ON THE SIDELINE 24. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FORMER EPFL STUDENT, MIGUEL GOMES, SAYING:     “I didn't feel the climb itself, but it was more the feeling of seeing the little light at the end approaching. You see it approaching, but you never get there. But no, the climb itself is really very calm, the three-kilometers, I don't know 20 meter climb, it's very, very easy. It's great.” 25. PEOPLE CHEERING RUNNERS 26. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 27. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 28. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 29. RUNNER ARRIVING AT THE FINISH LINE 30. (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT FROM GENEVA, JULIA LICATA (WITH STUDENT JEANNE COLOGNE), SAYING: “What's different is that we're all closer together, we're all a bit like a big family. So frankly, it's great.” 31. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 32. PEOPLE CHEERING RUNNERS 33. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING STORY: Two thousand people ran up the interior ramp of the Vortex on Thursday evening (October 16), an iconic circular building at the University of Lausanne, as part of race organized by the EPFL' students.      “The race is incredible, going around in circles like that, I think it was original. It was tough, but yeah, only good feelings,” said a student from Geneva, Ricky Van Den Ouweland, who ran the 7km race.      The first edition of the Vortex race took place in 2021 and only allowed students. As years passed, the race has opened up to various profiles, like 33 year old Geneva resident, Alex Rueff.      “As soon as you arrive here, a crazy atmosphere, everyone screaming and in fact with the sound effect it resonates. So you cannot not be in the mood,” he said after crossing the finish line on the 8th floor of the building.     Located on the Lausanne Campus, the Vortex is a residential complex designed to accommodate students from the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne, UNIL and EPFL. It offers almost 1,000 living spaces, ranging from individual rooms and studios to shared apartments for groups. In addition to housing, the building features around 2,400 m² of communal areas, which include a multipurpose hall, a kids' zone, dining venues, cultural and social spaces, workshops, and retail outlets.     The Vortex stands out for its distinctive ring-shaped design, featuring a continuous 2.8 kilometer ramp that connects all the residential units throughout the structure. The building spans 137 meters in diameter, rises to a height of 27 meters, and consists of eight gradually ascending levels arranged in a spiral layout.     “People are quite lost because they're going up but they don't feel it because it's only a 1% slope, so people are running but don't really realize they're going up,” co-organizer of the Vortex Race, Chloe Bachtold told Reuters.      The construction of the Vortex, which cost 156 million Swiss francs, ended in 2019 and in January 2020 it welcomed young athletes for the Winter Youth Olympic Games. Just a few months later, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, it was repurposed to provide emergency housing for healthcare professionals. By August of the same year, the building began fulfilling its long-term role, welcoming its first cohort of students from UNIL and EPFL. (Production: Cecile Mantovani)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

VIDEO SHOWS: DRONE FOOTAGE OF VILLA PARK IN BIRMINGHAM /  SCREENGRAB OF BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER AND ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER GIDEON SAAR'S POSTS ON X RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST ALSO SEE:  4403-SOCCER-EUROPA-AVL-MTA/ EDITORS NOTE: FOR RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS SURROUNDING SOCCER MATCHES WITH ISRAELI TEAMS, PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING EDITS ISRAEL V ITALY 3720-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS-CLASHES-UPDATE 3705-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS-CLASHES-MORE 3501-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS ISRAEL V NORWAY 2782-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-NOR-ISR/FANS 2756-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-NOR-ISR/FANS MACCABI TEL AVIV V PAOK  7681-SOCCER-EUROPA-PKT-MTA/PROTEST SHOWS: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE – SEPTEMBER 21, 2023) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. DRONE SHOTS LEADING UP TO VILLA PARK  2. TOP VIEW OF VILLA PARK 3. VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS FROM VILLA PARK 4. DRONE SHOTS OF ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB BUILDING (UNKNOWN) OCTOBER 16, 2025 (X – Access all) 5. SCREENGRAB OF  BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER'S POST ON X, READING: "This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation." 6. SCREENGRAB OF ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER GIDEON SAAR'S POST ON X, READING: "Shameful decision!  I call on the UK authorities to reverse this coward decision!" STORY: No away supporters will be allowed to attend Aston Villa's home Europa League clash with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 6 after police raised public safety concerns about potential protests, the Premier League club said on Thursday (October 16). The move comes after there were protests at the Israel national team's World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy, with police using tear gas on protesters and pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Oslo and Udine. Villa said they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors. "Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture," Villa said in a statement. "West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night. "The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision." Reuters has contacted Maccabi Tel Aviv for comment. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the announcement. "This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets," Starmer said on X. "The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation." UEFA said it wanted fans to be able to travel and support their team in a "safe, secure and welcoming environment". "(UEFA) encourages both teams and the competent authorities to agree on the implementation of appropriate measures necessary to allow this to happen," UEFA said. "In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory, such decisions being determined on the basis of thorough risk assessments, which vary from match to match and take into consideration previous circumstances." Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described Villa's announcement as a "shameful decision" on X. "I call on the UK authorities to reverse this coward decision," Saar wrote. Global soccer body FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football. The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has yet been taken, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino consistently saying such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution. Earlier this month, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said Israel's continued participation in international football has to be dealt with first and foremost by UEFA. UEFA appeared poised for an emergency vote on suspending Israel from European competition last month but reportedly held off on a proposed vote following the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the region. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

VIDEO SHOWS: PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP THE RING-SHAPED FAMOUS BUILDING ON LAUSANNE CAMPUS, THE VORTEX BUILDING DURING A RACE ORGANIZED BY EPFL STUDENT / DRONE SHOTS OF THE VORTEX RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: CHAVANNES-PRES-RENENS, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF VORTEX BUILDING 2. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 3. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 4. RUNNERS CROSSING THE FINISH LINE 5. RUNNERS HUGGING AT THE END OF THE RACE 6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT FROM GENEVA, RICKY VAN DEN OUWELAND, SAYING:     “Honestly, the race is incredible, going around in circles like that, I think it was original. It was tough, but yeah, only good feelings, only fun.” 7. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 8. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF VORTEX BUILDING / LAKE GENEVA  9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 33 YEAR OLD GENEVA RESIDENT, ALEX RUEFF, SAYING:     “The sunset was magnificent and incredible. And then as soon as you arrive here, a crazy atmosphere, everyone screaming and in fact with the sound effect it resonates. So you cannot not be in the mood, it's incredible. Honestly it's the first time I've done it, we'll come back.” 10. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 11. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 12. (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT AT EPFL, NOEMIE KERR, SAYING:     “It's very original, and in fact the slope is super gentle and so you don't feel like you're going up, so it's really great.” 13. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) (LEFT TO RIGHT) FORMER STUDENT FROM EPFL, DAVID CANOVA, LAUSANNE RESIDENT ADRIEN VAZQUEZ AND STUDENT NEAR LAUSANNE, ISMAEL NICOULIN, SAYING: NICOULIN: “So it was tough, I think you can confirm?” VAZQUEZ: “It makes your head spin.” NICOULIN: “And we don't have many points of reference, as we're going around in circles, it's a little hard to know where we are in the race.” CANOVA: “At the same time, we're so focused on telling ourselves, 'Let's run, let's go all out, all out, all out, all out, and you see everything spinning, people spinning around, it's an incredible feeling.” 15. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CO-ORGANIZER OF THE VORTEX RACE, CHLOE BACHTOLD, SAYING:     “It's pretty crazy, it's really like a 3D stadium, so we have this kind of atmosphere where down below there's music, people cheering everywhere, it resonates in this building and people are quite lost because they're going up but they don't feel it because it's only a 1% slope, so people are running but don't really realize they're going up. They often don't know where they are in the race, they're running but they don't know if they're on floor 1, 2, 3, 4. So we put up signs to help them – second lap, fourth lap – to help them get their bearings. And really you have this sound going up, this encouragement all the way and the atmosphere is pretty crazy.” 17. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF VORTEX BUILDING AT NIGHT 18. RUNNER STARTING HIS RACE 19. VARIOUS OF RUNNER ARRIVING IN THE VORTEX 20. PEOPLE CHEERING RUNNER AND DOING A HOLA 21. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 22. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 23. RUNNER DURING HIS RACE BEING ENCOURAGED BY PEOPLE ON THE SIDELINE 24. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FORMER EPFL STUDENT, MIGUEL GOMES, SAYING:     “I didn't feel the climb itself, but it was more the feeling of seeing the little light at the end approaching. You see it approaching, but you never get there. But no, the climb itself is really very calm, the three-kilometers, I don't know 20 meter climb, it's very, very easy. It's great.” 25. PEOPLE CHEERING RUNNERS 26. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 27. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 28. PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 29. RUNNER ARRIVING AT THE FINISH LINE 30. (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT FROM GENEVA, JULIA LICATA (WITH STUDENT JEANNE COLOGNE), SAYING: “What's different is that we're all closer together, we're all a bit like a big family. So frankly, it's great.” 31. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING 32. PEOPLE CHEERING RUNNERS 33. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING UP THE INTERIOR RAMP OF THE VORTEX BUILDING STORY: Two thousand people ran up the interior ramp of the Vortex on Thursday evening (October 16), an iconic circular building at the University of Lausanne, as part of race organized by the EPFL' students.      “The race is incredible, going around in circles like that, I think it was original. It was tough, but yeah, only good feelings,” said a student from Geneva, Ricky Van Den Ouweland, who ran the 7km race.      The first edition of the Vortex race took place in 2021 and only allowed students. As years passed, the race has opened up to various profiles, like 33 year old Geneva resident, Alex Rueff.      “As soon as you arrive here, a crazy atmosphere, everyone screaming and in fact with the sound effect it resonates. So you cannot not be in the mood,” he said after crossing the finish line on the 8th floor of the building.     Located on the Lausanne Campus, the Vortex is a residential complex designed to accommodate students from the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne, UNIL and EPFL. It offers almost 1,000 living spaces, ranging from individual rooms and studios to shared apartments for groups. In addition to housing, the building features around 2,400 m² of communal areas, which include a multipurpose hall, a kids' zone, dining venues, cultural and social spaces, workshops, and retail outlets.     The Vortex stands out for its distinctive ring-shaped design, featuring a continuous 2.8 kilometer ramp that connects all the residential units throughout the structure. The building spans 137 meters in diameter, rises to a height of 27 meters, and consists of eight gradually ascending levels arranged in a spiral layout.     “People are quite lost because they're going up but they don't feel it because it's only a 1% slope, so people are running but don't really realize they're going up,” co-organizer of the Vortex Race, Chloe Bachtold told Reuters.      The construction of the Vortex, which cost 156 million Swiss francs, ended in 2019 and in January 2020 it welcomed young athletes for the Winter Youth Olympic Games. Just a few months later, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, it was repurposed to provide emergency housing for healthcare professionals. By August of the same year, the building began fulfilling its long-term role, welcoming its first cohort of students from UNIL and EPFL. (Production: Cecile Mantovani)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

VIDEO SHOWS: DRONE FOOTAGE OF VILLA PARK IN BIRMINGHAM /  SCREENGRAB OF BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER AND ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER GIDEON SAAR'S POSTS ON X ALSO SEE:  4403-SOCCER-EUROPA-AVL-MTA/ EDITORS NOTE: FOR RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS SURROUNDING SOCCER MATCHES WITH ISRAELI TEAMS, PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING EDITS ISRAEL V ITALY 3720-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS-CLASHES-UPDATE 3705-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS-CLASHES-MORE 3501-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS ISRAEL V NORWAY 2782-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-NOR-ISR/FANS 2756-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-NOR-ISR/FANS MACCABI TEL AVIV V PAOK  7681-SOCCER-EUROPA-PKT-MTA/PROTEST SHOWS: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE – SEPTEMBER 21, 2023) (REUTERS – Access all) (UNKNOWN) OCTOBER 16, 2025 (X – Access all) SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW STORY: No away supporters will be allowed to attend Aston Villa's home Europa League clash with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 6 after police raised public safety concerns about potential protests, the Premier League club said on Thursday (October 16). The move comes after there were protests at the Israel national team's World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy, with police using tear gas on protesters and pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Oslo and Udine. Villa said they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors. "Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture," Villa said in a statement. "West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night. "The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision." Reuters has contacted Maccabi Tel Aviv for comment. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the announcement. "This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets," Starmer said on X. "The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation." UEFA said it wanted fans to be able to travel and support their team in a "safe, secure and welcoming environment". "(UEFA) encourages both teams and the competent authorities to agree on the implementation of appropriate measures necessary to allow this to happen," UEFA said. "In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory, such decisions being determined on the basis of thorough risk assessments, which vary from match to match and take into consideration previous circumstances." Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described Villa's announcement as a "shameful decision" on X. "I call on the UK authorities to reverse this coward decision," Saar wrote. Global soccer body FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football. The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has yet been taken, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino consistently saying such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution. Earlier this month, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said Israel's continued participation in international football has to be dealt with first and foremost by UEFA. UEFA appeared poised for an emergency vote on suspending Israel from European competition last month but reportedly held off on a proposed vote following the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the region. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

VIDEO SHOWS: DRONE FOOTAGE OF VILLA PARK IN BIRMINGHAM /  SCREENGRAB OF BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER AND ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER GIDEON SAAR'S POSTS ON X ALSO SEE:  4403-SOCCER-EUROPA-AVL-MTA/ EDITORS NOTE: FOR RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS SURROUNDING SOCCER MATCHES WITH ISRAELI TEAMS, PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING EDITS ISRAEL V ITALY 3720-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS-CLASHES-UPDATE 3705-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS-CLASHES-MORE 3501-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ITA-ISR/PROTESTS ISRAEL V NORWAY 2782-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-NOR-ISR/FANS 2756-SOCCER-WORLDCUP-NOR-ISR/FANS MACCABI TEL AVIV V PAOK  7681-SOCCER-EUROPA-PKT-MTA/PROTEST SHOWS: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE – SEPTEMBER 21, 2023) (REUTERS – Access all) (UNKNOWN) OCTOBER 16, 2025 (X – Access all) SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW STORY: No away supporters will be allowed to attend Aston Villa's home Europa League clash with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 6 after police raised public safety concerns about potential protests, the Premier League club said on Thursday (October 16). The move comes after there were protests at the Israel national team's World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy, with police using tear gas on protesters and pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Oslo and Udine. Villa said they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors. "Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture," Villa said in a statement. "West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night. "The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision." Reuters has contacted Maccabi Tel Aviv for comment. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the announcement. "This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets," Starmer said on X. "The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation." UEFA said it wanted fans to be able to travel and support their team in a "safe, secure and welcoming environment". "(UEFA) encourages both teams and the competent authorities to agree on the implementation of appropriate measures necessary to allow this to happen," UEFA said. "In all cases, the competent local authorities remain responsible for decisions related to the safety and security of matches taking place on their territory, such decisions being determined on the basis of thorough risk assessments, which vary from match to match and take into consideration previous circumstances." Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described Villa's announcement as a "shameful decision" on X. "I call on the UK authorities to reverse this coward decision," Saar wrote. Global soccer body FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football. The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has yet been taken, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino consistently saying such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution. Earlier this month, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said Israel's continued participation in international football has to be dealt with first and foremost by UEFA. UEFA appeared poised for an emergency vote on suspending Israel from European competition last month but reportedly held off on a proposed vote following the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the region. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)