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Police have arrested a 47-year-old man believed to be a Liverpool supporter for allegedly racially abusing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo during Friday night's Premier League opener at Anfield.
The match had to be briefly stopped after Ghana international Semenyo told referee Anthony Taylor he'd been targeted with racist comments from the crowd during the first half of Liverpool's 4-2 victory.
Merseyside Police moved quickly after the incident was reported. The suspect was identified and kicked out of the ground on Friday night, then arrested the following day. Police confirmed this in their official statement today:
We've arrested a man, 47, from Liverpool on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after reports racist abuse was directed at Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo during their game against Liverpool on Friday 15 August.
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The suspect is now in custody being questioned about what happened.
Liverpool Football Club wasted no time condemning the incident, releasing a statement that slammed racism and discrimination in all its forms. The Premier League, FA, and anti-racism group Kick It Out all spoke out as well.
READ ALSO: Man in wheelchair racially abused Semenyo, hit him with chewing gum - Eyewitness shares
Several football greats have also condemned  the incident and offered their support for the Black Stars player.
Semenyo speaks after incident
The 25-year-old also posted a classy message on social media on Saturday, thanking everyone who supported him during the horrible ordeal. Semenyo wrote:
Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever - not because of one person's words, but because of how the entire football family stood together. To my @afcb team-mates who supported me in that moment, to the @liverpoolfc players and fans who showed their true character, to the @premierleague officials who handled it professionally - thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most.
MUST READ: Football greats support Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo after racist attack
Despite the awful incident, the Semenyo showed incredible character by scoring twice in the match after being abused.