Samuel Case, FISM News

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A 12-year-old boy has been arrested in the UK after sending racist messages to soccer player Wilifred Zaha, who plays for Crystal Palace, on Instagram. One message read “You better not score tomorrow you black c*** . . . ”

West Midland Police released a statement on Twitter that read, “We were alerted to a series of racist messages sent to a footballer today and after looking into them and conducting checks, we have arrested a boy. The 12-year-old from #Solihull has been taken to custody. Thanks to everyone who raised it. Racism won’t be tolerated.” They later announced the boy has been released from custody “under investigation while [their] inquiries continue.” 

In a statement of his own, Zaha thanked the police for the arrest and said, “People need to understand that whatever your age, that your behavior and your words come with consequences and you cannot hide behind social media . . .  It isn’t enough to just say #notoracism. We need action, we need education, things need to change.”

The Premier League also released a statement supporting Zaha saying, “This behavior is completely unacceptable and the Premier League stands alongside Wilfried Zaha in opposing this and discrimination in any form. There is #NoRoomForRacism, anywhere.”

In the UK racist or derogatory language can be criminally prosecuted as a hate crime. In the UK hate crimes to include “verbal abuse, intimidation, threats, harassment, assault, and bullying, as well as damage to property” on the basis of an individual’s “disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.” These are considered by law as “protected characteristics.”