A 20-year-old man from Walsall has been arrested by Cleveland Police after an image appeared online showing what was believed to be a Wolves supporter holding up a mobile phone with the message “Police Killed Your Own” during Saturday’s match at the Riverside Stadium.
The incident took place after Middlesbrough beat Wolves 1-0 on Saturday, October 10. The message was interpreted as a reference to a fatal crash on the A66 in August, which killed two police officers and five young men.
Arrest after online footage reviewed
Cleveland Police confirmed that the 20-year-old was detained following the match. The force’s dedicated football officer, Pc Chris Hilton, said officers worked with West Midlands Police to identify and arrest the suspect.
“Working closely with West Midlands Police, we were quickly able to identify and arrest a suspect in connection with an incident involving footage of potentially alarming and distressing behaviour captured during the match on Saturday,” Pc Hilton said.
He added that the investigation began immediately after the force became aware of the footage following the match.
Context of the A66 crash
The message on the phone screen appeared to reference a head-on crash on the A66 in the early hours of August 22. The collision involved a marked police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat, which was travelling the wrong way along a dual-carriageway.
An official investigation found that police did not use a stinger or initiate “tactical contact” before the crash. The incident happened moments after a pursuit had been aborted.
Police pledge robust action
Pc Hilton said the force would always deal with such incidents “quickly and robustly” to make clear that anyone attending a football match should be able to do so in a safe and enjoyable environment.
“We will take enforcement action and investigate anyone suspected of trying to cause disruption,” he said. He also thanked the majority of fans who attended the match at the Riverside Stadium, whose sole aim was to enjoy the game with fellow supporters.
