The Free Press Journal

Now, online racial abuse

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Crystal Palace player Wilfried Zaha wants "action" and "education" against the racial abuse that he and other Black athletes are regularly subject to on social media. A 12-year-old boy was arrested on Sunday after the Ivory Coast internatio­nal highlighte­d racist abuse he received ahead of Palace's match at Aston Villa.

The messages and images referenced Zaha's race and showed the Ku Klux Klan. They were sent on Instagram from a user who included central England-based club Villa in their name.

"People need to understand that whatever your age, that your behaviour and your words come with consequenc­es and you cannot hide behind social media," Zaha said in a post on Instagram on Monday.

Zaha said it's time for "action" because this was not an isolated incident.

"This is not the first time I have received messages like this, nor am I the only player to receive messages like this - it happens every day," he said.

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