MPs Expose AI-Generated Inaccuracies in Police Evidence for Football Fan Ban
A parliamentary select committee has uncovered that inaccurate evidence generated by Microsoft's Copilot AI tool was used by West Midlands Police to pursue a controversial ban on Israeli football fans. The Home Affairs Select Committee report reveals that senior officers presented AI-derived information about disorder at a Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam without proper verification, leading to flawed decision-making.
Flawed Evidence and Lack of Transparency
The committee found that West Midlands Police presented key claims about unrest during a 2024 Maccabi match against Ajax that originated from queries to Microsoft Copilot. Senior officers subsequently quoted this inaccurate information in Safety Advisory Group meetings and during oral evidence to parliamentarians. The report states that proper due diligence was not applied to verify the AI-generated content before it was used to justify security decisions.
Police initially denied that Copilot was responsible for errors in their reporting, including references to a non-existent match between Maccabi and West Ham United. They later admitted the AI tool's involvement and apologized. The committee criticized the force's lack of transparency, noting it took two oral evidence sessions and a written correction to achieve full candor about the evidence sources.
Community Relations Damaged by Decision
The decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from a Europa League match at Aston Villa in November 2025 has significantly damaged relations with Birmingham's Jewish community, according to the parliamentary report. While MPs found no evidence that antisemitism motivated the decision, they concluded that the failure to consult Jewish community representatives created perceptions of bias and undermined trust in evidence-based decision-making.
The committee report states that Birmingham councillors had disproportionate influence on what became a deeply divisive political issue, particularly given tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict. West Midlands Police only revealed in September 2025 that they had intelligence suggesting some Birmingham residents wanted to arm themselves against Maccabi supporters, with the Aston area having a large Muslim population and strong pro-Palestinian activism.
Government Failure and Leadership Consequences
The parliamentary investigation criticizes the government's failure to prevent the fan ban, noting that the Home Office and Department for Culture, Media and Sport were informed a week before the Safety Advisory Group's decision became public. The committee concluded that Israeli fans could still have attended the match if government departments had intervened privately before the ban was ratified.
The controversy has already claimed the position of Chief Constable Craig Guildford, who retired early last month after apologizing for misleading the committee. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated she had lost confidence in his leadership. The committee has called for cultural change within West Midlands Police, emphasizing that assumptions must be tested and evidence thoroughly verified before decisions affecting community relations are made.
Recommendations for Reform
The Home Affairs Select Committee has recommended that the Cabinet Office ban local councillors from sitting on Safety Advisory Groups to prevent political influence on security decisions. Committee chair Dame Karen Bradley has called on West Midlands Police to repair damaged relations with Jewish communities and implement cultural changes around evidence verification and decision-making processes.
In a statement responding to the findings, West Midlands Police said they have met with local representatives to address concerns and remain committed to learning from these events. The force noted they cannot comment further due to ongoing police watchdog investigations but will work through the committee's recommendations.
