4 Arrest made in Spain over hate campaign against Vinicius

Four people have been arrested and questioned in Spain on suspicion of conducting an online hate campaign encouraging fans to racially abuse Real Madrid star attacker Vinicius Jr, police said on Thursday.

The men were detained on 14 and 15 October then released as investigations continued into social media slogans which urged fans to wear face masks so they could insult the black Brazil international without being identified, police added.

They were the first detentions announced by police linked to the campaign, which set out to target the 24-year-old in the build-up to the Spanish capital’s derby on 29 September at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano stadium. It used the hashtag #MetropolitanoConMascarilla (Metropolitano with a Mask).

Vinicius Jr, who has faced abuse at several matches, last year called LaLiga and Spain racist after receiving slurs from the stands during a match at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium.

In a landmark case, three Valencia football fans were each sentenced to eight months in prison in June for hate crimes against Vinicius Jr – the first conviction for racist insults in a soccer stadium in Spain.

On Thursday, Spain’s National Police did not name the four men and there was no immediate statement from any lawyers representing them.

Under Spanish legal procedures, a judge will investigate and eventually consider whether there is enough evidence to continue to trial.

Police said the online campaign went viral, raising “significant social alarm”. The investigation remains open and could lead to more arrests, the force added. for More Update ..