Lutsharel Geertruida triggers police action as 45 year old football fan arrested after alleged racist abuse in Sunderland Newcastle derby (Image via Getty)
Lutsharel Geertruida spoke up, and the whole match had to stop. During the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland at St James’ Park, play suddenly paused after the Sunderland defender reported something serious from the crowd.
What started as a normal second half quickly turned tense as officials stepped in. Now, police have taken action. Northumbria Police confirmed that a 45-year-old man from Gateshead has been arrested. The case is being treated as a racially aggravated public order offence, and the investigation is still ongoing. The moment changed the mood of the match, even though Sunderland went on to win 2-1.
Lutsharel Geertruida report stops game as referee Anthony Taylor speaks with Kieran Trippier and Granit Xhaka
The situation began when Lutsharel Geertruida alerted Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka about what he heard from the stands.
Xhaka did not wait. He ran straight to referee Anthony Taylor to report it. That is when the match stopped.Anthony Taylor then called over Newcastle captain Kieran Trippier. The referee moved toward the dugout area and spoke with both managers and broadcast staff. For a few minutes, no one in the stadium clearly knew what was going on. Soon after, it became clear that the pause was due to alleged discriminatory abuse aimed at Geertruida. The Premier League later confirmed the reason. In their statement, they said:“Today’s match between Newcastle United and Sunderland was temporarily paused during the second half after a report of discriminatory abuse from the crowd, directed at Sunderland’s Lutsharel Geertruida.
This is in line with the Premier League’s on-field anti-discrimination protocol. The incident at St James’ Park will now be fully investigated.We offer our full support to the player and both clubs. Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.” After the discussion, Anthony Taylor spoke again with Granit Xhaka before restarting the game.
Northumbria Police arrest Gateshead man as Regis Le Bris and Newcastle United respond to incident
Days after the match, Northumbria Police confirmed the arrest. A 45-year-old man was taken into custody on Tuesday. Police said he has now been released on bail while the investigation continues. Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris shared a short update after speaking with his player. He said:“I spoke to Lutsharel after the game and he seemed OK, but we need to support him.”Newcastle United also responded through a spokesperson. The club said: “We are aware of a report of racism made by a visiting player against someone in the crowd.” The incident is still under review, and authorities are expected to look closely at what happened inside the stadium.
