Suhel Ali, a 20-year-old law student from London’s City University, is facing potential jail time for launching a racist tirade against Arsenal footballer Bukayo Saka.
The incident took place following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on May 20, 2023, a loss that ended their hopes of winning the Premier League title. Ali posted an offensive voice message on X, calling Saka a “monkey” and using the N-word, along with other derogatory terms.
In the voice note, Ali, an Arsenal fan, expressed his frustration with Saka’s performance, calling him “the s***est winger I’ve ever seen at my club.” His comments were played during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, which sparked public outrage.
Police Investigation and Arrest
According to The Sun, police were able to track Ali through his IP address with the help of his mother, who provided his email address to officers. During a police interview, Ali admitted to sending the offensive message but claimed his remarks were made out of frustration and were not intended to be racist.
Courtroom Debate on Racism
In court, Ali’s lawyer, Robert Moxon, argued that his client’s comments were made in anger, not racial hatred, noting that Ali, like Saka, is of Nigerian heritage. Moxon claimed Ali used the N-word “in an offensive context, not a racial one.”
However, District Judge Briony Clarke questioned the use of the word “monkey,” to which Ali’s lawyer responded that it was used to suggest Saka was “dumb.” The court granted Ali bail until October 8, 2024, with Judge Clarke warning that jail time remains a possibility.
History of Racist Abuse Against Saka
This is not the first time Bukayo Saka has endured racial abuse. According to The Independent, after England’s Euro 2020 final defeat in July 2021, Saka, along with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, became targets of widespread online racial abuse for missing penalties.
The incident provoked strong backlash from public figures, including England manager Gareth Southgate and then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who condemned the actions as unacceptable. The Football Association (FA) also urged for stricter measures to combat such abuse on social media.
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