Police in Span arrested four suspects Thursday for an online hate campaign against Real Madrid’s Black Brazilian star Vinicius Junior.
“The four main individuals responsible for a hate campaign against a football player have been arrested. The investigation began following three complaints filed by the Spanish La Liga,” Spain’s National Police wrote on X. “They incited fans through social media to attend the stadium and shout insults with racist connotations.”
The suspects were found to have started an online hate campaign against the 24-year-old forward before Real Madrid’s derby against Atletico Madrid on Sept. 29.
Vinicius Junior, who has played for Real Madrid since 2018, has been frequently the target of racist abuse.
In June, three Valencia football fans were sentenced to eight months in prison in “the first conviction in Spain for racist abuse at a football match.”
La Liga previously confirmed that the three had directed racist chants against Vinicius Junior during a match in May 2023 at Valencia’s home ground, Mestalla.
