Spanish police arrested an Atletico Madrid fan for using racist words and death threats against an eight-year-old girl wearing a jersey of Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior. The child suffered a “strong anxiety attack” as a result of the racist abuse before the match at Atletico’s stadium on September 24, Spain’s National Police stated on Thursday.
Outside the stadium, the girl faced what the police described as “racist insults and death threats” by the alleged perpetrator. Moreover, he hit the “arm of the family member who was holding” the girl before other fans stopped.
According to the police, the man was found and identified using video evidence and he was finally taken into custody on Wednesday.
Vinícius is Black, and he has experienced racist remarks regularly. This includes hanging an effigy of the Brazilian striker before a January 2023 game against Atletico. Four persons were detained for their involvement in that incident. If proven guilty of the alleged hate crime, state prosecutors demand a four-year jail sentence.