LONDON, England (AP) – Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen claims he got death threats and an onslaught of abuse after Liverpool’s Darwin Nez was expelled for headbutting him in a Premier League match on Monday night.
Andersen took to Instagram to share a sample of the hundreds of hateful messages he has received since the 1-1 tie at Anfield.
“Got maybe 300-400 of these messages last night,” the Dane wrote on his Instagram story on Tuesday, urging the league and Instagram to take action.
According to media sources, Andersen has also spoken with police.
Some of the screenshots demanded the Palace player’s death, and many contained expletives. Some threats threatened not just Andersen but also his family.
According to the British Press Association, a Premier League representative acknowledged the governing body had contacted Palace to offer assistance.
The British parliament was scheduled to debate new legislation in July that would have required tech companies to take stricter measures to combat abuse and hate on their platforms, but the bill has been postponed until the ruling Conservative party chooses a new leader.
Nez was making his competitive debut for Liverpool. After a scuffle with Andersen, the club’s key offseason acquisition lost his cool.
Nez is facing a three-game suspension for violent behavior.
Leave a Reply