BARCELONA, SPAIN (AP) — Four people accused of hanging an effigy of Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior from a freeway bridge were released Thursday while they continue to be investigated for hate crimes.
The Spanish judge of Madrid prevented the four from trying to communicate with Vinicius. They also have a temporary restraining order that prevents them from coming within a 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) zone around Madrid’s stadium and training facility and within the same distance of any soccer field between four hours before and four hours after a La Liga match. .
The court said that four people were also sought who would damage the innocence of Vinicius’ behavior. He added that the four chose not to answer the judge’s questions in their first court appearance in accordance with their constitutional rights.
The dollar event took place on January 26, in the preparation of the derby between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid.
But until Tuesday it was not the police who were caught among the public riots that swept Spain against the latest incident of racist abuse against Vinicius.
On Tuesday, the police charged three people with attacking Vinicius with racial slurs during Saturday’s match at Valencia’s stadium at Mestalla, so that parts of the stands will be closed for the next five matches. These three were released.
Vinicius, 22, black, has been the target of repeated racist criticism since he arrived in Spain five years ago from his native Brazil.
In Spain, hate crimes usually carry a prison sentence of one to four years, while crimes against the moral integrity of people carry a prison sentence of six to 24 months.
Also on Thursday, the Spanish Ombudsman’s office asked the country’s highest sports council, the sports governing body, for more information about the racist insults against Vinicius in the Valencia match. The office said it had received complaints from “two Brazilian civil society organizations” about the abuses that had occurred with its part in the South American region.
The Office of the Ombudsman said in a statement that Spanish law prohibits any act of racism, xenophobia or intolerance during sporting events.
