A law student who aimed a vile racial slur at Arsenal star Bukayo Saka in an online rant is facing jail.
According to The Sun, 20-year-old Arsenal fan Suhel Ali uploaded an audio message directed at Saka on X.
In the message, Ali is heard calling Saka a ‘f***ing black piece of s**t’.
Ali referred to Saka as ‘the s***test winger I’ve ever seen at my club.’ He used the N-word in reference to the England international and said: ‘You’re a monkey – you’re a f***ing monkey.’
The outburst happened shortly after Arsenal’s defeat away to Nottingham Forest on May 20, 2023, with the result confirming that Mikel Arteta’s side missed out on the Premier League title as Manchester City were crowned champions.
Ali, from Wembley, studies at City University in London. He admitted sending an offensive message.
District Judge Briony Clarke bailed Ali until October 8 and said: ‘I’m not going to sentence you today but I’m not ruling anything out.’
Ali’s mother helped police to track down his IP address. She also gave officers his e-mail address.
Westminster magistrates’ court heard that Ali said in a police interview that he sent the voice note out of frustration.
His lawyer Robert Moxon stated that Ali, like Saka, is of Nigerian heritage.
He said: ‘He used the N-word in that tweet but he’s using that not in a racial context but in an offensive context.’
The judge then asked about Ali’s use of the word ‘monkey’, to which Moxon replied that Ali used the word to ‘suggest that Bukayo Saka is dumb’.
He added: ‘He was just firing off some really stupid, offensive remarks about how a footballer played.’