Football fan arrested after allegedly shouting homophobic abuse during game
Hampshire Police confirmed the person was arrested during the Southampton/Brighton game
By Steve Brown
A football fan was arrested after an allegedly shouting homophobic abuse.
The Southampton supporter hurled the abuse during the Brighton match – which ended in a 2-2 draw – on Monday (September 17).
The arrest was reported on the Hampshire Police’s football unit Saints FC Cop Twitter feed where they wrote: “Great atmosphere tonight, sadly one arrest for homophobic abuse.”
It was later confirmed that a Saints fan was arrested.
Recently, former Wales rugby player Gareth Thomas – who is openly gay – handed a new bill to amend the Football Offences Act 1991 and make indecent and homophobic chanting illegal.
The bill proposed an amendment that seeks to “make chanting or gesturing of an indecent nature with reference to sexual orientation or gender identity against the law”.
Section three of the act states that “it is an offence to engage or take part in chanting of an indecent or racialist nature at a designated football match” and that is described as “threatening, abusive or insulting to a person by reason of his colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins”.