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

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  1. Comment#57(tom.ward18) you are an IDIOT! I guess you­ must be A STUPID RACIST judging from your comment ­ "TELL YOU WHAT ALL YOU BLACKS SHOULD @#$% OFF HOME­ IF­ YOU DONT LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!"

    From BADI, on Thu 12 Mar 2:18PM
  2. HATE CRIME!!!! HATE CRIME!!!! RACIST!!

    From ljwhiteswjff, on Thu 12 Mar 2:15PM
  3. Only because most of the Black "window­ Shoppers" arn't window shopping are they?­ .....

    From R G, on Thu 12 Mar 2:10PM
  4. Yahoo Breaking News! the police have stopped­ terrorising the highly suspected terrorists but now­ have turned their attention on the innocent black­ window shoppers.......

    From stephenukiwo, on Thu 12 Mar 2:04PM
  5. Yahoo Breaking News! the police have stopped­ terrorising the highly suspected terrorists but now­ have turned their attention on the innocent black­ window shoppers.......

    From stephenukiwo, on Thu 12 Mar 2:04PM
  6. Yahoo Breaking News! the police have stopped­ terrorising the highly suspected terrorists but now­ have turned their attention on the innocent black­ window shoppers.......

    From stephenukiwo, on Thu 12 Mar 2:03PM
  7. Even the BBC couldn't report this cos of the­ stupidity of the British police again

    From Godwin, on Thu 12 Mar 2:03PM
  8. Lets put this in perspective. thjere must have been­ thousands of people put in handcuffs this week, some­ innocent othgers not, this has become hot news, not­ because he is c oloured, but because he is a highly­ paidprofessional footballer.. we know some people are­ racist of all colours, creeds and what have you, but be­ honest they are only a small minority, this country and­ our citizens shoulkd be proud of our regard for and­ exceptance of all races. we dont for instance like the­ mindless morons in Luton who were demonstrating against­ our returning troops from Afghanistan, where they had­ been fighting to hand that country back to the loyal­ afghans, out of the hands of the taliban.+-We should be­ proud of our police force, who have a job not many of­ us could or would care to do..

    From arsnic, on Thu 12 Mar 2:03PM
  9. Yahoo Breaking News! the police have stopped­ terrorising the highly suspected terrorists but now­ have turned their attention on the innocent black­ window shoppers.......

    From stephenukiwo, on Thu 12 Mar 2:02PM
  10. IE that you are an idiot.

    From ftumch2001, on Thu 12 Mar 2:01PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!RACIST­ BRITAIN!!!RACIST BRITAIN!!!

    From Godwin, on Thu 12 Mar 2:00PM
  12. 43(albey_longmoor05), your comment sums you up? it­ shows you are A RACIST and a big IDIOT! I like all­ WHITE PEOPLE and I always believe they are NOT racist­ regardless of what happened! but for you to post such a­ comment makes me disgust and I believe alot of people­ will be disgusted at your comment as well.
    How dare­ you saying "if you black people think all whites­ are racist then­ there are enough air ports around the­ country to fly­ back to africa ,india , pakistan ,­ jamacia or what ­ ever country you come from"

    From BADI, on Thu 12 Mar 2:00PM
  13. Anicheb pays his tax which puts food on the table of­ some low life british kid, and he is treated like a­ criminal, A big Shame to the British police, this is­ not the first and will not be the last time they screw­ things up

    From Godwin, on Thu 12 Mar 1:59PM
  14. Yahoo Breaking News! the police have stopped­ terrorising the highly suspected terrorists but now­ have turned their attention on the innocent black­ window shoppers.......

    From stephenukiwo, on Thu 12 Mar 1:59PM
  15. Albey Longmoor:

    Airports not air ports
    Whatever not­ what ­ever
    Where not were
    Bread's not­ breads
    Biggots not biggets
    Humans not humanes
    Their­ not­ there
    The colour not there colour
    Their skin not­ there skin

    I think that your post says more about you­ than I ever could.

    From ftumch2001, on Thu 12 Mar 1:58PM
  16. Mr deriavbeesq, you are a bigger idiot, Don't­ people kill each other here in the UK, where is the­ rule of law there,and some get away with murder,like­ the police against Menedes.

    From Godwin, on Thu 12 Mar 1:57PM
  17. Constable Savage strikes again!

    From allan s, on Thu 12 Mar 1:53PM
  18. albey_longmoor05 before you start your mass deportation­ of all non-whites, why don’t you ask all the white­ people in Africa ,India , Pakistan , Jamaica to fly­ back to Europe. My ancestors in the 1950's were­ ASKED TO COME HERE and help rebuild this country when­ you could not. And being treated like a criminal and­ being harassed by racist police was not part of it

    From Raymond, on Thu 12 Mar 1:49PM
  19. Call that racism, well as a blackman who grew up in­ Africa when I see people especially blacks use the race­ card I smile (racism exits dont get me wrong) but from­ all indications in this country I have to respect the­ fact that the rule of law exits and kudos to them. What­ do you call it when blacks cant live in peace (South­ Africans blacks killing Nigerians and Zimbabwians).Ok­ they are from different countries, Hausas KILLING Igbos­ in Nigeria, note the emphasis on the word­ 'kill'. Am not insane but I will prefer to give­ glory to God for countries like the UK. Were will­ Africans and other minorities be without countries like­ these. Ask the Congolese, Sudanase, Rawandians,­ Kenyans, Zimbabwians and others escaping from GENOCIDE,­ not from the white man but fellow blacks. In South­ Africa last year during the race riots (genocide)­ Nigerians and Zimbabwians had to run to (wait for it)­ the white people area for protection. Am I having a­ laugh!!!. Since my stay in this country I have not seen­ or heard of any blacks staging demonsrations against­ any corrupt regime in Africa. Africa to us is still the­ best in all its shameless glory. It is the white man­ that will provide aid to Africa, sacrifice time and­ effort for humanitarian work and yet my black brothers­ constitute the highest number who will castigate them­ and blame them for Africa's problems. 'Let the­ eagle perch, let the hawk perch he who says that the­ other should not perch may Amadiora (African god) break­ his wings'. Racism in this country?--it's like­ paradise when I remember Africa. God bless the United­ Kingdom.

    From David, on Thu 12 Mar 1:48PM
  20. albey_longmoor05 before you start your mass deportation­ of all non-whites, why don’t you ask all the white­ people in Africa ,India , Pakistan , Jamaica to fly­ back to Europe. My ancestors in the 1950's were­ ASKED TO COME HERE and help rebuild this country when­ you could not. And being treated like a criminal and­ being harassed by racist police was not part of it

    From Raymond, on Thu 12 Mar 1:46PM
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