An Everton supporter has been arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo during the two sides' Premier League clash on Monday night. The incident occurred inside the Hill Dickinson Stadium, where the match took place.
Arrest and Bail Conditions
Everton confirmed in a statement that a 71-year-old man was arrested 'on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after supporters and stewards reported the incident' involving Semenyo. The individual has since been released on bail but is prohibited from entering within one mile of any sports stadium for a period extending from four hours before kick-off until four hours after the final whistle.
The club's statement emphasised: 'Racism and discrimination in all forms are completely unacceptable. They have no place in our stadia, our sport or in society, and behaviour of this nature will not be tolerated. A swift response from fellow supporters, stewards and Merseyside Police led to the individual being identified and appropriate action taken.'
Club's Zero-Tolerance Stance
Everton vowed to continue working closely with authorities and will take the strongest possible action under its zero-tolerance policy. The club encouraged anyone witnessing discrimination, harassment, or anti-social behaviour to report it via stewards, police, or confidential channels, including texting HELP with details to 84300 or emailing reportit@evertonfc.com.
Manchester City also released a statement welcoming the swift action taken by Everton and the police. The club added: 'We will continue to offer our full support to both Antoine and Marc and never accept discrimination of any kind in our game.'
Separate Incident: Marc Guehi Targeted Online
Earlier on Monday, City confirmed that defender Marc Guehi had been subjected to racist abuse on social media following the match. This is part of a broader pattern of abuse targeting Premier League players this season.
Semenyo's Previous Experiences
This season, Semenyo has been vocal about racist abuse he has received. Just nine days ago, he reposted discriminatory messages from an Instagram account with the caption: 'It's started again.' On the opening day of the season, while playing for Bournemouth against Liverpool, he reported alleged racist abuse from a fan, leading to the arrest and charge of Mark Mogan, 47, who denied the offence in court in December. His trial is set for April.
Other Premier League players, including Sunderland's Lutsharel Geertruida and Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, have also suffered racist abuse this season, highlighting an ongoing issue in football.
