Police to get racial abuse witness list

Witnesses may be able to help a probe into the racial abuse of a Fijian rugby player. SAMSHER WOOD reports.

Lincoln University will give police a list of names of 10 people they believe witnessed racial abuse of a Fijian rugby player.

Canterbury Rugby Union (CRU) management met with Lincoln University club representatives yesterday, after Christchurch player Sake Aca was racially abused at a senior club final on Sunday.

Aca, who is the Christchurch club’s wing, left the field in tears after racial abuse from a sideline spectator, or spectators, during the second half of the match against Lincoln University at Rugby Park. ‘‘They called me a black c..., an idiot, and they used the f word,’’ Aca said earlier.

CRU community rugby general manager Tim Gilkison said Lincoln had done its own investigation and had a list of names of people they believe witnessed the racial abuse.

‘‘They have actually gone out and requested any information via their own channels from students as to who can shed some light on it on a confidential basis,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s a number of different names of identified people who were in that area who may have either witnessed it or certainly would help in terms of identifying who was responsible. We are not at the point of being able to say this person did it as much as we would like to be.’’

A Lincoln University spokeswoman confirmed the university would give police the contact details of 10 people, including a staff member.

‘‘We have said we can identify some students that we know were in that area of the embankment that we think the racial abuse has come from. We’re going to contact them to let them know we are going to give their contact details to police if they need them.’’

Gilkison said he would speak to police about making an official complaint.

‘‘We want to talk to police around how they can help in terms of getting to the bottom of who’s responsible.

‘‘We would expect that they will be dealt with accordingly, we want to send a very clear message.’’

Canterbury Metro Commander Superintendent Lane Todd said police would assess all information after witness statements.

He said investigating racial abuse was ‘‘not common’’ but there had been at least two cases he was aware of. Both involved taxi drivers being targeted by racist remarks.

The meeting also focused on this Saturday’s division two final between Christchurch and Lincoln University at Christchurch Park and the colts premier final between Lincoln University and New Brighton.

Both of those games will be alcoholfree. ‘‘So that everybody’s clear there will be signage and we will have security both asking people to take it out of the ground and back in their car or taking it off them,’’ Gilkison said.

Todd said police encouraged anyone with information on the racial abuse to call Christchurch police on 03 363 7400.