A 47-year-old man from Liverpool has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences after Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo reported racial abuse during Friday's Premier League match at Anfield. The suspect was ejected from the stadium and later taken into custody for interview, Merseyside Police said.
The incident occurred in the 29th minute, prompting referee Anthony Taylor to stop play. Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, match commander, stated that police would not tolerate hate crime and would seek football banning orders against those responsible. He urged anyone witnessing such offences to report them immediately.
Liverpool FC issued a statement condemning racism and discrimination in all forms, saying it had no place in society or football. The club confirmed awareness of the allegation and reiterated its commitment to tackling abuse.
A separate arrest was made on Saturday during a League One match between Bradford City and Luton Town at the University of Bradford Stadium. Bradford City AFC confirmed that an individual in the away section allegedly racially abused one of their players.
Bradford manager Graham Alexander referenced the Liverpool incident, stating there was no excuse for racism and calling for zero tolerance. The club affirmed its strong condemnation of discrimination and a zero-tolerance policy.
