STORY: Spanish police detained seven people on Tuesday on suspicion of hate crimes aimed at Real Madrid footballer Vinicius Jr.
Three people were detained in Valencia in connection with racial slurs hurled at the Brazilian during a LaLiga game on Sunday.
The others were arrested in Madrid, and are accused of hanging an effigy of the star off a bridge.
The Spanish football federation also took action on Tuesday.
It has rescinded the red card that Vinicius received during Sunday’s match, and has slapped a fine worth approximately 50-thousand dollars on the club.
Valencia’s south stand, where the abuse originated from, will also be partially closed for five matches.
The incident highlights how much racism remains a problem in football.
But La Liga – Spain’s main football league – says its hands are tied.
It argues that Spanish law restricts it from being able to tackle the issue,
as it is only able to detect and report racist incidents,
and is calling for the power to cancel matches and ban fans from stadiums.
Meanwhile, dozens of anti-racism activists have been rallying outside the Spanish consulate in Sao Paulo.
They chanted slogans in support of Vinicius and accused LaLiga of racism.
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