Four people in Spain have been arrested on allegations of running an online hate and rac!sm campaign targeting Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior. Police report that the campaign encouraged fans to racially abuse the 24-year-old by wearing black face masks to hide their identities.
The Brazilian player has previously expressed his frustration, saying in a press conference earlier this year that repeated rac!al abuse made him feel “less and less” inclined to continue playing football.
The arrests were made on October 14 and 15, and the suspects were released as the investigation proceeds. Spain’s national police have not disclosed the identities of those arrested, and their legal representatives have yet to comment.
The inquiry remains active, with authorities suggesting more arrests could follow due to the campaign’s “significant social alarm.” The initial arrests connected to this campaign took place on September 29, just before the La Liga derby at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium, where the hashtag ‘Metropolitano with a mask’ was reportedly used.
Additionally, in June, three Valencia fans received eight-month prison terms for racially abusing Vinícius during a match in May 2023. In August, Vinícius stated he and his teammates would leave the field if they faced rac!al abuse again this season, indicating that halting matches may be the only effective way to eliminate rac!sm in football.