LONDON (AP) — A man has been arrested by police officers investigating online abuse against England defender Jess Carter during the Women’s European Championship this summer.
Lancashire Police arrested a 59-year-old man from Great Harwood on Thursday “on suspicion of malicious communications in relation to some of the messages.”
He has since been released under investigation.
“The messages directed towards Jess Carter were appalling and I would like to commend her for standing up to this abuse and assisting with our investigation,” said Cheshire Constabulary Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chief Council lead for football policing.
“Nobody should be subjected to such disgusting abuse, and I expect that today’s arrest will be the first of many over the coming months.”
Carter, who has an African American father and plays her club soccer for Gotham FC in the U.S., revealed last month during the tournament in Switzerland that she was racially abused online while at Euro 2025, which England won.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham said at the time that the governing body immediately contacted police back in the United Kingdom.
“We want to make it clear that racist abuse of this nature will not be tolerated,” Roberts added. “Everyone is responsible for what they do and say, and we want to ensure offenders cannot hide behind a social media profile to post vile comments.”
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The Associated Press
