This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
On July 12, 2020, Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha faced racist abuse on Instagram, which he later shared on Twitter.
West Midlands Police have since confirmed that a 12-year-old boy from Solihull has been arrested and taken into custody over the abuse.
Both Aston Villa and Crystal Palace condemned the abuse prior to their match at Villa Park, with Villa vowing to ban the perpetrator for life.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson supported his player, stating that the abuse was 'cowardly and despicable' and that there was 'no excuse' for it.
West Midlands Police tweeted that they had arrested the 12-year-old boy after being alerted to the racist messages and conducting checks.
They vowed to take action against the perpetrator, saying 'Racism won't be tolerated.'
