Four individuals have been arrested in Spain for allegedly orchestrating an online hate campaign targeting Real Madrid’s forward, Vinicius Jr. The campaign reportedly encouraged racial abuse of the 24-year-old Brazilian player, with instructions for fans to wear black face masks to avoid detection.
Vinicius, who has previously expressed his distress over recurring racist incidents, had broken down during a press conference earlier this year, admitting he felt increasingly disillusioned with playing football.
The Spanish national police confirmed the arrests on 14 and 15 October, though the men were released as investigations continue. The individuals involved have not been publicly named, and there has been no official statement from their legal representatives. Authorities emphasised that the investigation remains ongoing, with further arrests possible due to the viral nature of the hate campaign.
The first arrests related to the campaign occurred on 29 September, ahead of the La Liga derby at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium. Despite the campaign’s spread, no racist incidents were reported during the match, although the game was briefly halted due to objects being thrown onto the field. This case follows a pattern of racist abuse targeting Vinicius Jr., including a May 2023 incident where three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison.
In August, Vinicius stated that he and his teammates would walk off the pitch if subjected to further racist abuse, advocating for halting matches as a possible solution to eradicate racism in football.
Melissa Enoch
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