Four people have been arrested on suspicion of hanging a junior effigy of Vinicius from the bridge

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of hanging an effigy of Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior from a highway bridge in Madrid in January, Spanish police said on Tuesday. The arrest comes two days after the Brazilian forward was subjected to the latest incident of racial abuse in a Spanish league game against Valencia.

The effigy was hung by the neck on the morning of a derby between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Along with it was a banner that read ‘Madrid hates Real’. (Watch: Vinicius Junior slaps Valencia player after facing racist abuse in Real Madrid’s La Liga clash)

The criminals used a black figure with Vinicius’s name on it, tied a rope around his neck and hung him from an overpass while it was still dark in the Spanish capital. Police said three of those arrested were members of one of Atlético’s fan groups, and another was a follower of the group. Some had prior bookings with the police for other offences.

The hate message on the banner is often used by Atlético militants, although at the time they denied being responsible for the display. The age of those arrested is between 19 and 24 years. Officials said some had been identified during earlier matches that were considered to be at high risk of violence. Police showed photos Tuesday of him arriving in handcuffs and being escorted by agents.

Vinnie Jr.: “You’re not football, you’re inhumane.”

Vinicius Júnior has posted a video documenting all the cases of racism he has faced in La Liga this season.

Spanish football needs to act now. There is no place for this kind of behavior in football.pic.twitter.com/26DphXIozO— FootballJoe (@FootballJOE) May 23, 2023

Spanish media said police had used security cameras to identify the perpetrators but so far no action had been taken. Police did not say whether the timing of the arrest had to do with the latest abuse against Vinicius receiving widespread attention on Sunday.

Spain has been criticized around the world for its lack of action in cases of racism in football. Brazilian government officials, including President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, publicly expressed their concern.

Vinicius, who is black, has been repeatedly subjected to racist taunts in Spain, especially this season after he started celebrating his goals by dancing. The match against Valencia was temporarily halted after Vinicius said a fan behind one of the goals called him a monkey and made monkey gestures towards him. Vinicius considered leaving the field but eventually continued playing.

Brazil received support from officials and athletes around the world and Spanish football was heavily criticized for not doing more to stop racism. The lights of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were turned off on Monday night in a show of solidarity for Vinicius.

Vinicius said on Twitter, “It is an act of solidarity moving forward.” “But more than everything, what I want is for our fight to inspire and bring more light.”

Vinicius thanked for the support he has received in Brazil and abroad in the past months.

“I know who you are,” he said. “Trust me, because good people are the majority and I am not going to give up. I have a purpose in life, and if I have to suffer so that future generations do not have to go through similar situations, I am ready and I’m ready.”

Valencia bans a fan for life for insulting Vinicius during a game. Real Madrid took the case to prosecutors as a hate crime.

The Spanish league has filed nine criminal complaints of racial abuse against Vinicius over the past two seasons, most of which have been shelved by prosecutors.

The league said Tuesday it would seek to expand its authority to issue sanctions in cases of hate crimes during games. It was saying it could only trace the incidents to the authorities and the country’s football federation and condemn them.

Supporters have been fined and banned from the stadium for their abuse against Vinicius, but so far only a Mallorca fan has gone on trial for allegedly insulting the Brazilian during a game.

The first trial against a fan accused of racial abuse in Spanish professional soccer is expected sometime this year; The case involved Athletic Bilbao forward Iacky Williams, who was insulted by an Espanyol supporter at a match in 2020.