At a glance

• Several Birmingham schools will close early on Thursday ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, due to planned protests over the war in Gaza

• Pro-Palestine demonstrations are expected near Villa Park, with police deploying 700 officers amid fears of clashes involving far-right and rival protest groups

• No tickets will be sold to away fans after authorities labelled it ‘high risk,’ a decision criticised by the government

Several Birmingham schools will close early ahead of Thursday’s football match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv .

Several protests against the ongoing war in Gaza are expected before the kick-off of the Europa League game on Thursday evening.

Local school the BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy sai

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