Nottinghamshire Police responded quickly during the Nottingham Forest versus Wolverhampton Wanderers match at the City Ground last night after a Wolves fan was heard making homophobic remarks.
The 53-year-old man, seated in the away section, was overheard shouting hateful abuse directed at Nottingham Forest players and supporters. Club stewards promptly identified the individual and alerted the police. He was arrested on suspicion of using threatening or abusive language and was subsequently released on conditional bail.
Chief Inspector James Walker, the hate crime lead for Nottinghamshire Police, stated, “Homophobic language has absolutely no place inside or outside football stadiums and will never be tolerated by Nottinghamshire Police. We will always take positive action against anyone found to be spouting hate speech.”
Nottinghamshire Police collaborate closely with local professional football clubs and recently launched the ‘Take Aim at Hate’ campaign to raise awareness and encourage victims to report hate crimes immediately.
A spokesperson for Wolverhampton Wanderers added, “Homophobia, like all forms of discrimination, has no place in football or society. Our ethos at Wolves is about being ‘One Pack’ — an attitude our supporters embrace across football rivalries.”
“While it’s deeply disappointing to hear of any discriminatory behaviour, it’s encouraging that stewards and fans are reporting it. We remain committed to campaigning for inclusivity and fully support the police investigation.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident 398 of 11 January 2023, or to report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Originally published by UKNIP.
