A Liverpool fan has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense after Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo reported hearing a racist insult shouted at him during a Premier League match at Anfield Stadium.
The incident occurred during the season opener on Friday, August 15, when Semenyo informed match officials that a fan had shouted a racist insult at him. The match was briefly halted as police identified the suspect, who was removed from the stadium.
According to a report by The Daily Mail, Merseyside Police confirmed the arrest in a statement: “We have arrested a man following reports racist abuse was directed towards Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo during his team's Premier League fixture versus Liverpool at Anfield on Friday 15 August.”
"The suspect's identity was confirmed, and he was removed from the ground following the report,” police added. “A 47-year-old man from Liverpool has today (Saturday, August 16) been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He has been taken into custody to be interviewed.”
Semenyo, who scored twice in the match, responded on social media: “Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever - not because of one person's words, but because of how the entire football family stood together. To my Bournemouth teammates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally - thank you.”
Chief Inspector Kevin Chatterton, who led policing for the match, condemned the incident, saying law enforcement will “not tolerate hate crime of any form.”
“We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible,” he said. “There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.”
The incident occurred during the season opener on Friday, August 15, when Semenyo informed match officials that a fan had shouted a racist insult at him. The match was briefly halted as police identified the suspect, who was removed from the stadium.
According to a report by The Daily Mail, Merseyside Police confirmed the arrest in a statement: “We have arrested a man following reports racist abuse was directed towards Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo during his team's Premier League fixture versus Liverpool at Anfield on Friday 15 August.”
"The suspect's identity was confirmed, and he was removed from the ground following the report,” police added. “A 47-year-old man from Liverpool has today (Saturday, August 16) been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He has been taken into custody to be interviewed.”
Semenyo, who scored twice in the match, responded on social media: “Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever - not because of one person's words, but because of how the entire football family stood together. To my Bournemouth teammates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally - thank you.”
Chief Inspector Kevin Chatterton, who led policing for the match, condemned the incident, saying law enforcement will “not tolerate hate crime of any form.”
“We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible,” he said. “There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.”
