This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
On July 12, 2020, Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha faced vile racist abuse on Instagram, prompting a swift response from West Midlands Police.
Police arrested a 12-year-old boy in connection with the abuse, and while he has since been released, the investigation continues.
Wilfried Zaha has spoken out against the abuse, warning that 'your behaviour and your words come with consequences' regardless of age.
He called for 'action and education' to tackle racism in football, stating that social media platforms must do more to remove perpetrators.
Crystal Palace and Aston Villa both showed support for Zaha, with Villa vowing to ban the perpetrator for life before the arrest was made.
