Spanish police arrest 7 for hate crimes against Real Madrid star Vinicius

By: Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – Spanish police arrested seven people on Tuesday for allegedly committing hate crimes against Black Brazilian football player Vinicius Junior.

Police made the arrests in Madrid and Valencia in relation to two separate incidents.

In Valencia, the police detained three young individuals who reportedly participated in racist jeering and verbal abuse directed at the Real Madrid star forward during Sunday's match. A group of fans were clearly heard calling Vinicius a “monkey,” a racist trope used to insult Black people.

Separately, four people age 19, 21, 23, and 24 were arrested in Madrid for having hung a dummy off the bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground in January. The effigy, strung up by its neck, was dressed in Vinicius' jersey and positioned beneath a large banner stating "Madrid hates Real."

Spanish authorities believe three of those apprehended in Madrid belong to a "radical" faction thought to be associated with a hooligan group that supports the rival team Atletico de Madrid.

Following Sunday's match, Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid drew attention to the abusive behavior, prompting Valencia prosecutors to launch a hate crime investigation on Monday.

“It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga,” tweeted Vinicius after the match, arguing that events like this make Spain seem like a racist country.

In response to the controversy, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva voiced his support for the Real Madrid player on Sunday.

Real Madrid also confirmed on Monday that they filed a hate crime complaint with national Spanish prosecutors.

Subsequently, the Valencia Football Club released a statement denouncing the offensive behavior and imposed a lifetime ban on any individuals implicated in the racial abuse from attending matches at the stadium.

Despite the controversy, Javier Tebas, La Liga's president, defended his organization against Vinicius' criticism and accused the player of not contributing positively to the fight against racism.

Leading figures from Spain's principal conservative opposition party have also defended the country against allegations of racism.

“Spain isn’t a racist country in any case. We have to say that sport is education and is the opposite of racism,” said Popular Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo on Tuesday.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also commented on the issue, saying there should be “zero tolerance for racism in football” and in Spanish society as a whole.

In a concurrent case, Spanish prosecutors are advocating for two-year prison sentences for two football hooligans from Espanyol Club, who stand accused of racially insulting Bilbao player Inaki Williams in 2020. This trial is still ongoing.