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British police acknowledged on Wednesday that flawed, AI-generated intelligence contributed to the decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a Europa League match in England last month, prompting an official apology to Parliament and a government-ordered investigation.
The controversy centers on a Nov. 6 match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham. Authorities prevented Israeli fans from traveling after police warned of security risks. That assessment later proved to rely, in part, on false information.
AI Tool Produced False Intelligence
West Midlands Police based part of its security advice on an supposed past match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham United. No such match ever took place.
Police leadership initially told lawmakers that the error resulted from a routine Google search. That explanation later collapsed under scrutiny. Chief Constable Craig Guildford confirmed that the false information instead originated from Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot.
Guildford has since issued a formal apology to the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, admitting that the evidence he and another senior officer provided was incorrect. He insisted the mistake was not deliberate and said he believed the original explanation to be accurate at the time.
Denial to Parliament Draws Scrutiny
The admission has drawn sharp criticism because it contradicts earlier testimony. During a parliamentary hearing in early January, Guildford denied that police had used artificial intelligence at all when gathering intelligence related to the ban.
The revelation has fueled calls for accountability and raised broader concerns about how emerging technologies are used in policing.
Political Fallout and Investigation Ordered
The decision to bar Israeli supporters sparked political backlash in Britain. While police officials have denied political pressure, the scale of the error has forced government intervention.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood ordered a formal review by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. She is expected to address Parliament after reviewing the findings.
Simon Foster, who has the authority to dismiss Guildford, has said he will examine how the ban decision came about.
Last week, Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban sent a letter to Mahmood, urging the dismissal of Guilford.
For Jewish communities, the episode exposes a dangerous failure of judgment. Inaccurate intelligence, generated by an AI tool and accepted without proper verification, was treated as credible enough to justify sweeping restrictions on Israeli fans.
As the investigation continues, the case raises urgent questions about accountability at every level — from police leadership to the unchecked reliance on AI platforms like Microsoft Copilot. It also underscores the need for clear standards, human oversight, and responsibility when technology is allowed to shape security decisions.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
