A soccer fan in the UK was arrested by police for wearing a shirt that was considered to be “offensive.”
The man was arrested during the FA Cup Final at Webley Stadium for wearing a shirt that had the number 97 with the words “not enough.”
The shirt was in reference to the 97 Liverpool fans who died during the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.
The Hillsborough Disaster was the result of people being crushed and suffocated to death due to overcrowding at the FA Cups semi-final game hosted at Hillsborough Stadium.
According to Manchester Evening News, the man arrested was 33-year-old James White.
White was charged with “displaying threatening or abusive writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.”
Here’s the shirt:
#ARREST | We are aware of this and have worked proactively with officials at @wembleystadium to identify the individual.
He has been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and taken into custody. https://t.co/PNVzEhKzgZ
— Metropolitan Police Events (@MetPoliceEvents) June 3, 2023
A photo of the back of a man wearing the number 97 and the words “not enough” on a Manchester United top was widely shared on social media, according to the BBC.
The FA said it “strongly condemned” the action.
The Metropolitan Police tweeted that a man had been arrested on suspicion of a public order offense and taken into custody.
The force confirmed to the BBC that the arrest was solely due to the shirt worn by the football fan but would not confirm that it was because of its alleged reference to Hillsborough.
White’s arrest has sparked new debates in the UK that it’s not “an offense to be offensive” and free speech.
WATCH:
“It is an offence to be offensive.”
A Manchester United fan was arrested for wearing a t-shirt mocking the Hillsborough disaster at the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Social commentator James Melville joined Kev to discuss free speech.@TVKev | @JamesMelville | #TalkTV pic.twitter.com/vaJIjuQDEq
— TalkTV (@TalkTV) June 4, 2023
READ MORE: German Court Orders Twitter to Censor ‘Offensive’ Posts
