Seville Court Reopens Racism Case Against Fan Who Insulted Vinicius Júnior
The Provincial Court of Seville has made a significant move by reopening the case against an individual accused of making racist remarks towards Brazilian footballer Vinicius Júnior during a match on March 5, 2023, held at the Benito Villamarín stadium, where Real Betis faced Real Madrid. On October 14, a ruling was issued, which was communicated to the involved parties on Wednesday. The court's decision comes after an appeal was filed by the public prosecutor working on behalf of LaLiga against the previous decision made on June 17, 2024, where the Investigative Court opted to provisionally shelve the case. The matter surfaced when a minority group of spectators in the Gol Sur stand allegedly hurled insults at the player, repeatedly shouting, 'you are a monkey.' A detailed complaint was lodged, featuring photographs of the alleged perpetrator and requesting several pieces of evidence to support the claims. On September 7, 2023, the prosecutor presented the complaint, alleging a hate crime under Article 510 of the Spanish Penal Code. Subsequent to this, the accused individual and witnesses were questioned; notably, Vinicius Júnior was also summoned. However, in a brief resolution, the investigating judge decided to shelve the case, citing insufficient information to identify the perpetrator or perpetrators of the offense. This shelving decision prompted the public prosecutor to appeal. They called for the revocation of the initial ruling, urging that the procedures be escalated to an abbreviated trial, while also insisting on the continuation of the investigation and the necessity of conducting a lineup. In its ruling, the Third Section of the Court evaluated whether it was appropriate for the proceedings to be shelved at this early stage, or if there was sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation and potentially a trial. The Court concluded that the evidence sought by the Prosecutor's Office for a lineup was crucial to determine the authorship of the racially charged insults and whether the accused had indeed participated in the incidents. Moving forward, the court has emphasized the need to continue investigating the matter, and based on the gathered evidence, will determine if the actions constitute a crime and the extent of the accused's involvement. This ruling not only highlights the significant issue of racism in sports but also underscores the ongoing fight against hate speech in society.
Related Sources: