La Liga: Dani Alves' racial abuser arrested

Spanish police said yesterday they have laid criminal charges against a football fan for throwing a banana at Barcelona defender Dani Alves, a slur that has sparked a global storm of anti-racist protest

Madrid: Spanish police said yesterday they have laid criminal charges against a football fan for throwing a banana at Barcelona defender Dani Alves, a slur that has sparked a global storm of anti-racist protest.


Dani Alves. Pic/Getty Images 

The Spanish authorities arrested the young man yesterday, two days after the ugly incident put racism in Spanish football under a harsh spotlight, unleashing condemnation worldwide including from Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The suspect, who has been named and pilloried on social media but has not been identified by the authorities, was charged on the same day with an offence against civil rights and liberties before being released, a police spokeswoman said.

If found guilty, he could face a sentence of up to three years in prison.

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