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.
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.
Comment 34 - 53 of 113
albey_longmoor05 and brooksie6870 you are both examples of racist britain, just listen to what you two idiots are saying.
BUNGLING COP MY @#$%,THE PAPERS ARE FULL OF A GANG OF WHITE JEWELERY ROBBERS IN LONDON WHO HAVE HIT SHOPS TWICE AND CAUGHT ON CCTV, WHAT HAS THE WHITE POLICE DONE, NOTHING-YOU GUESSED RIGHT. A BLACK FOOTBALLER GOES WINDOW SHOPPING AND HE IS CUFFED, THIS IS NOTHING BUT RACISM, AM I SURPRISED? NO NOT AT ALL, COS IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN, TILL ETERNITY!!!
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when I'm planning a robbery the thing I like to do the most is stand outside the premises getting caught on CCTV. Leave racism out of it, common sense should have prevailed.
I really have to question the CCTV operator and the cops too, ok maybe we all are little guilty of Racism but just how is someone supposed to be "acting suspiciously" when they are on crutches?
albey i think u are an drunk to say such a thing,what do you mean by that,if the blacks leave this country what good are u good at,startinfg from u wat do u do fro a laeving.some one like u need to be sent to guantanamobay for life.
It is because he plays for a scouse team ! All Liverpudlians are thieving little robbing c@nts ! Calm down Barry, Gary and Terry ! Eh, eh, eh, eh !!! Eh, eh, eh !!! We got Di Canio, you got our stereos as the old West Ham chant used to go !
Common sallyklj01 don't be silly, this is not some pono or dating medium u freak, get a life
I MUST OF STOOD OUTSIDE OF JEWELLERY SHOP WINDOWS,SOMETIMES FOR PERHAPS 20 MINUTES OR SO,TRYING TO DECIDE IF I LIKED ANYTHING ON OFFER.BUT NOT ONCE DID I GET ARRESTED FOR IT.BUT THEN I AM WHITE.THE COPS WHO PERFORMRD THIS LATEST FARCE SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH NOT RACISM, BUT STUPIDITY IN THE FACE OF DUTY.OH SORRY OFFICER YOU THOUGHT THE CRUTCHES WERE A RUSE TO PUT YOU OFF THE SCENT DID YOU.
Mr albey_longmoor05, your opening statement "if you black people" already sounds racist. Why not just accept racism is inherent in most whites, but they just don't show it cos of the severe legal consequence. This action goes on in every part of the UK and not just to blacks alone. Its a shame that the UK preaches one thing and does another.
So tell me this "Stench" if you never thought it was because you're white why the police pick on you, why do you think they pick on you? Could it be because you 'look' ignorant.
To exclude your colour clearly suggests you THOUGHT about it.
The fact of the matter is this - if both these guys were NOT BLACK they would not have been 'sus'pected' of acting 'sus'piciously. GET IT NOW???
Some of u need to read the news properly b4 passing ur rediculous comments, the CCTV operator called the police, they are doing their job, so in this case its a fair play from the police, what do u want them to do, not respond and it turn out that they are robbers? then we can all say the police don't respond when u call them? and ashley cole is stupid, so if he's handcuffed, he does deserves it only someone as stupid as ashley that knows he his a public figure will be on a misbahing rampage like that. We all know there is racism in this country but yea where is there no Racism even in Nigeria where we are all black, we still ate each other as long as u are not from the same region u don't stand a chance. We are all racist in our own little ways, search ur conscience b4 throwing the first stone. And who says u can't steal if u are football, GUDJOHNSON of portsmouth stole from B&Q and he earns more than Victor so anything can happen.
Ademola
albey_longmoor05 your spot on.
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 or your family came from were you will be treated a lot worse than you do here so if i were you i would think were your breads buttered before you make allegations that all whites are racist biggets in this country and the sooner the better that ethnic people stop using the race card the better the world may become because all that comes out of the use of it is mistrust by all humanes what ever there colour of there skin the police acted on information recieved not on the colour of there skin
abiodun f you are an idiot. People like you get on my nerves. Your points are rubbish and you obviously think all black people are hard done by. Both Cole and Anichebe were both cuffed by the police because they were acting like thugs, not because the police are racist and only arrest black people because they have nothing better to do! If someone started swearing and being aggresive to you whether they were white or black you would do something about it. Get a life.
Some of u need to read the news properly b4 passing ur rediculous comments, the CCTV operator called the police, they are doing their job, so in this case its a fair play from the police, what do u want them not respond and it turn it they are robbers? then we can all say the police don't respond when u call them? and ashley cole is stupid, so if he's handcuffed, he does deserves it only someone as stupid as ashley that knows he his a piblic figure will on a misbahing rampage like that. We all know there is racism in this country but yea where is there no Racism even in Nigeria where we are all black, we still ate each other as long as u are not from the same region u don't stand a chance. We are all racist in our little ways, search ur conscience b4 throwing the first stone.
Ademola
The way I read it some of you are missing a fundemental point here. The cops turned up on request of the CCTV operator. When they questioned the guys, assuming they didn't know Victor, a heated exchange took place in which the cops decided to handcuff Vic. The same would of happened to anyone in this situation....they were then released from restraints when the situation calmed down etc etc Stop looking for racisit angles and support your police force..
Well I guess the "kick racism out of Football" campaign needs to be extended to the police force.. Racism is alive and well and living in the Cheshire... A black man looks into a shop window and you automatically think he is planning a heist.. that really is a stretch.. but hey xenophobia can mess anyone up.. I say sack them
Same old Same old! He wants to learn how to play himself instead of playing the race card,the copper should have arrested him for being a @#$% footballer!
the police in question were probably Liverpool fans
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