Four suspects have been arrested for hanging an appalling effigy of Vinicius Junior, a player for Real Madrid.
The Spanish Police, in their operation named “Sandra,” caught the culprits after they posted a photo on social media.
The blow-up doll, with a noose around its neck, was displayed from a bridge close to Real Madrid’s training ground, accompanied by a banner stating “Madrid hates Real.”
This distressing incident occurred before Real’s Copa del Rey quarter-final against Atletico Madrid on January 26.
The authorities managed to locate the individuals by tracking the sales of the doll. By analyzing the £21-valued effigy, Spanish Police identified the suspects, aged between 19 and 24.
The four individuals were scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Say no to racism!
Investigators utilized methods such as mobile phone triangulation and DNA analysis to gather evidence against the accused.
One of the suspects was found to have inflated the doll using their mouth, leaving behind DNA traces.
The arrested individuals are believed to be associated with “Frente Atletico,” an Atletico Madrid ultra fan group. Additionally, one of the accused had a previous arrest in 2019 for a crime of wounding.
The court hearing on Wednesday followed standard procedure and was conducted behind closed doors.
A spokesperson for the Spanish National Police confirmed that the suspects were arrested for a hate crime, with three of them being active members of a radical Atletico Madrid fan club.
The investigation was carried out in collaboration with Madrid’s Court of Instruction Number 38 and a prosecution cyber-crimes section.
This incident adds to a series of racist abuse incidents targeting Vinicius during a recent match between Valencia and Real Madrid.
Three individuals have already been arrested in connection with that case. As for Valencia, they received a €45,000 fine and were ordered to close their south stand for five matches.
However, the club plans to appeal, deeming the sanction as “unfair and disproportionate.”
These events shed light on the persisting issue of racism in football and emphasize the need for stringent measures to combat such behavior.
The arrests serve as a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face legal consequences for their deplorable acts.