Premier League - Anichebe slams bungling cops

Eurosport - Thu, 12 Mar 18:41:00 2009

Injured Everton striker Victor Anichebe has accused police officers of trying to grab his crutches to stop him "escaping" when he was wrongly accused of attempting to rob a jewellers.

Premiership 2006/2007 Victor Anichebe Everton - 0

Anichebe issued a strongly-worded statement through his club after Cheshire Police apologised for the incident in the affluent town of Knutsford, Cheshire.

The 20-year-old Nigeria international said the police apology did not go far enough.

"Whilst I do fully understand Cheshire Police's desire to tackle the problem of robberies on jewellery shops in the Knutsford area, I remain deeply upset and very angry about the treatment which was meted out to myself and a friend," he said.

"We were doing no more than window-shopping when we found ourselves surrounded by police officers who accused us of 'attempted theft'.

"Sadly, even when I explained who I was and what I was doing, they continued to treat both of us as not just suspects but as criminals.

"It was not only totally ridiculous but also highly embarrassing and totally humiliating.

"Simply because we stood our ground and insisted that we had done absolutely nothing wrong, they decided to place my friend in handcuffs. I am currently having to use crutches to walk as I recently underwent surgery on a knee injury and - astonishingly - one of the officers even tried to grab the crutches in order to prevent me from 'escaping'.

"After what seemed like an eternity the police officers seemed to realise that they had made a mistake, acknowledging that I was a footballer with a Premiership club and not someone who was preparing to commit a crime.

"At the time, I asked the officers if they would have taken the action they did had I been white rather than black. Whilst I do not wish to turn this unfortunate and unnecessary incident into a race issue, I believe it is a question that does need to be asked."

Anichebe said that while he welcomed the police apology he did not feel "it constitutes the unreserved apology we were seeking and which we believe is justified under the circumstances".

An Everton spokesman had confirmed earlier Anichebe and his friend were peering in the window of a jewellers when police pounced, believing the pair were scouting the premises.

He said a row had ensued before the pair were released when officers realised their mistake.

Cheshire Police said closed circuit TV operators were monitoring jewellers in Knutsford and the surrounding area following a spate of violent robberies and had reported that Anichebe and his friend were acting suspiciously.

Reuters

Comment 94 - 113 of 113

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  1. *english 'even'

    From , on Sat 14 Mar 5:47AM

  2. these racist scum should p155 0ff out of the country,­ and that is from a white enlgish guy

    From , on Sat 14 Mar 5:46AM

  3. U see those police are not smart,whenever they are­ carrying out their duties,their instinct is suppose to­ tell them to have some reservation of doubt becos there­ might be some innoncent ones out there,atleast they are­ suppose to be taught that in their training,if they­ were taught,then there is a reason why they left such­ an important value in their proffession out,,if the­ reason if not racism,then what?

    From Chike I, on Fri 13 Mar 8:23AM

  4. invalid!!!!!!! so tell me what is valid?

    From lalacious, on Fri 13 Mar 6:59AM

  5. Re:No 108.... burtlancaster8
    It's true that the­ police over there are racists, forget the fact that­ they are doing their job. I know how our government and­ its agents use to treat any colored people here in­ Nigeria , you don't have to be an American or a­ Briton...even nobody cares if you have clear­ immigration status or not. So why did the police tender­ apology for wrongly accusing the footballer and his­ friend? It's crazy world out there. So I disagree­ with your views..because from the start of your­ comment, you sounded like one one of the fat-@#$% white­ racist!
    helmcykudoskie.

    From Muyiwa, on Fri 13 Mar 5:24AM

  6. THERE IS A LOT OF CRIME IN UK. ANYBODY CAN COMMIT CRIME­ IRRESPECTIVE OF COLOUR. THE WE MOST NOT FORGET THE­ MEDIA IS CONTROLLED BY 'THE MOJORITY' AND THEY­ CAN IGNORE WHATEVER THEY CHOSE. THE TRUTH IS- ENGLAND­ HAS LOST HIS GLORIES. MOST ENGLISH POEPLE SPEAK­ DIFFRENT ENGLISH AND WRITE SOMETHING ELSE....MAYBE­ ARABIC! COMMON SPORTS THAT DOESNT NEED MUCH EDUCATION,­ THEY DROP OUT YET CANT BE GRATEFUL WE KEEP THE GAME­ GOING.....IF ANICHEBE DOESNT PALY GOOD FOOTBALL, WHERE­ ARE ALL ENGLIS CITIZENS? OR ARE THEY ALL DISABLE? SHOT­ YOUR SMEALING MOUTH AND CANSENTRATE ON BENEFIT SO WE­ CAN CATCH UP IN THE PUB THIS WEEKEND.

    From chuks, on Fri 13 Mar 1:01AM

  7. igwe g...youre a bell end!

    From Tomatoes, on Fri 13 Mar 12:32AM
  8. Comment hidden due to it's low rating. Show

    I still cant believe this blog, two black men get­ stopped and its makes the police racist?!
    All you­ people who accuse the police of being racist when they­ have clearly done their job, are out there for one­ thing, and that is to stir racial hatred.
    I'm­ afraid that anyone who asks a police officer whether­ they would get the same treatment if they were a­ different colour is racist. There is no need to ask­ it, but unfortunately YOU bring colour into the­ equation, not the police.
    You people with these­ opinions are the racists, not the police

    From burtlancaster8, on Thu 12 Mar 10:34PM

  9. no 52 the crutches are fake.

    No. 59, your are looking­ for a political appointment. there is non for you here.­ go back to ibo land, you will do well in politics­ there.

    From football.total, on Thu 12 Mar 8:09PM

  10. Who wants to eradicate racism? Listen, Race is a­ natural thing. IF it is not,tell me the meaning of­ British Work for British People.
    Long live @#$% Delta.

    From football.total, on Thu 12 Mar 7:38PM

  11. I still don't understand this theory of colours­ (black and white).How can some one be white? Whoever­ invented this colour riot must be the same person that­ thought the World that the Devil is black while all­ his(devil's) relations are white.

    From football.total, on Thu 12 Mar 7:30PM

  12. Britain, they are just impossible, ardent and incurable­ racist. how many white people have they harrazed this­ way
    window shopping,or is the camera programed to­ capture only black,or good still;has window shopping­ become a crime? we know all these things. some how­ somewhere, the white will pay for all these and they­ will be put to shame. one love brothers!
    COSY

    From COSY, on Thu 12 Mar 7:09PM
  13. Comment hidden due to it's low rating. Show

    Hey, I'm an open minded girl from UK, I'm­­ interested in exotic things, photography, dating and­­ sports...I have my photos on --- T a l l h u b Co m­­ ---, I love tall guys!
    Do you love traveling and have­­ some experience? Just find me out.

    From mollyro05, on Thu 12 Mar 6:27PM

  14. ohh so thats it now? the weather, climate and sun, hmmm­ lol ok following your example, a white indvidual will­ tan and develop a darker skin due to extensive stay on­ the sun, probably skin cancer as well but ohh well who­ cares...
    so now lets take a black person and keep that­ individual in europe or western countires for 15 years­ and see if they get any lighter in their skin ..
    racism­ is wrong and it will happen as long as people will see­ in colours and not in people..thats the sad truth.
    but­ plz lets leave the weather and nature out of this :)

    From baby_shambles, on Thu 12 Mar 6:06PM

  15. can somebody tell me the PHYSICAL or MENTAL differences­ between a WHITE man and a BLACK man apart from the skin­ colour?

    I believe that All these problem is as a­ result of: weather, Climate or Precisely(SUN) which is­ more in africa than any other part of the world or­ western world.

    I bet you, If any white man lives more­ than 15years in Africa or caribbean or grow up in these­ region/continent, his or her skin colour will­ definately be slightly different to those white people­ who were born and grow up in europe or western­ world.

    For God sake, lets show respect are fellow­ human beings and shun hatred or racism!

    From BADI, on Thu 12 Mar 5:34PM
  16. Comment hidden due to it's low rating. Show

    Alex M, the reason there are headlines saying­ "Bungling Cops" etc is because they sell­ papers. Don't let facts get in the way of a good­ story eh. If these "useless" people were that­ clever they wouldn't have tobe cops?? 98% of Met­ cops are uni graduates. I've nothingbut positives­ for the majority of cops, firemen and squaddies who try­ to keep the scum at bay and let you live your naive­ life. Did this cop make a mistake? possibly, but he­ didn't arrest Anichebe or charge him. Read the­ article! The cops were directed by a CCTV operator.­ They went and spoke with the guy. He laid hands on him­ after Anichebe started shouting and kicking off, not­ for being a possible thief. If he'd acted and­ spoken calmly instead of shouting the racism card he he­ would have been free to walk away. Gees, people are so­ quick to believe the worst (and the tabloids)_.

    From Clint.Magnum, on Thu 12 Mar 5:02PM

  17. 'danieldeevers' I was just about to say that­ before you beat me to it!!!
    That's deep mate!!

    From brooksie6870, on Thu 12 Mar 4:55PM

  18. I have read a lot of comments here and find a lot of it­ funny. The Police confronts an innocent shopper and­ arrests him for being confrontational. One man said it­ wasn't racist but the Police would lock up half the­ country if they keep arresting window shoppers. THE­ REASON WHY HALF THE COUNTRY IS NOT LOCKED UP IS BECAUSE­ THE MAJORITY ARE WHITE! Someone said a lot of things­ about conflict in Africa. I suggest you find out the­ root causes of these conflicts and i assure you it­ leads to the same person, THE WHITE MAN. Some suggest­ that foreigners leave the UK. Sorry mate, do your­ research and find out where your countries riches come­ from and i assure you there's one prominent answer,­ THE BLACK MAN. Until you learn to respect (nobody is­ talking about love yet) people who don't look like­ you and shun that belief in your Superiority (a feeling­ which came as a result of stealing the technology of­ producing GUNPOWDER from the Chinese and wreaking havoc­ on the rest of the world with disrespect and disregard­ for God, Man, and Nature) you will continue to inspire­ and get hatred in return. I blame the Chinese in a way­ for what they developed as a plaything, the EVIL Genius­ has used to satisfy his Devilish urges. Change your­ ways.

    From danieldeevers, on Thu 12 Mar 4:48PM

  19. Hey 'babeboy2g' isn't that kind of­ racist??? Not all scoucers are scally's. I beleive­ a very big chunk of Indian's support and go to see­ Liverpool play football. Would they do that if­ Liverpool was a racist city?

    From brooksie6870, on Thu 12 Mar 4:48PM

  20. that is so tipical of scousers.....its high time some­ one tell them to their face....they are bloodly­ racist....thats why u hv few educate ones among­ them.....i just experience racist abuse from some of­ their lads last week...my screen was smatch because am­ black... i proud to be a black dude wit good attitude­ rather than a useless scouser wit no ambition to­ succeed in life

    From Habeeb, on Thu 12 Mar 4:35PM
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