Four persons have been arrested in Spain for allegedly carrying out an internet hate and bigotry campaign against Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior.
According to authorities, the campaign encouraged followers to racially attack the 24-year-old and instructed them to wear black face masks to prevent being identified.
The Brazilian forward broke down in a news conference earlier this year when discussing the racial abuse he has received, stating he felt “less and less” like playing football after repeated occurrences.
The males were detained on October 14 and 15, and then released as investigations continue.
Spain’s national police did not name the four individuals held and questioned, and there was no immediate statement from their lawyers.
They noted that the investigation is ongoing and could result in additional arrests after the web campaign caused “significant social alarm” by going viral.
The first police detentions linked to the campaign occurred on September 29th, in the build-up to the La Liga rivalry at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium, with the hashtag purportedly translated to ‘Metropolitano with a mask’.
Three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison in June for insulting Madrid’s forward during a match in May 2023.
In August, the Brazilian stated that he and his teammates would leave the field if they encountered any more bigotry this season.
He went on to say that suspending matches may be the only way to completely eliminate racism from football.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli