Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace have issued statements following an allegation of racial abuse towards South Korea international forward Son Heung-min.
A video - which Mirror Football has chosen not to publish - has circulated on social media, which appears to show a supporter, who was sitting in the Palace end at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, making a racist gesture towards Son. The Spurs forward was walking past the away end when he was subjected to the alleged abuse.
"We are aware of an allegation of racial abuse towards Heung-Min Son during yesterday’s match," Spurs said in statement. "Discrimination of any kind is abhorrent and has no place in society, our game and at our Club.
"We are working with Met Police and Crystal Palace to investigate and identify the individual involved. We will do everything in our powers to ensure that if found guilty, the individual will receive the strongest possible action - as was the case earlier this season when Son suffered similar racial abuse at Chelsea.."
Crystal Palace have issued a statement of their own following the allegations, relating to an individual in the Eagles end. "We are aware of a video circulating online (as well as reports made directly to us) regarding an individual in the away end at Spurs yesterday, appearing to make racist gestures towards Heung-Min Son," it reads.
"Evidence has been shared with the police, and when he is identified, he will face a club ban. We will not tolerate such behaviour in our club."
Kick It Out Head of Player Engagement Troy Townsend added: "Kick It Out are appalled to hear that Heung-Min Son was subject to alleged racist abuse during yesterday’s Premier League fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
"This is not the first time that he has been forced to endure such abhorrent discrimination. It is vital that player welfare is always the priority, and we urge football’s stakeholders to examine whether their policy of making players leave the pitch at the nearest point can in certain circumstances risk exposing players to discriminatory abuse, particularly during moments of high tension in the game.
"Furthermore, we commend the clubs and the Metropolitan Police for their swift response to this incident and echo Crystal Palace’s stance that any perpetrators must receive a club ban for their actions.
"Kick It Out are here to support all victims of discriminatory abuse and we would encourage anybody who sadly experiences or witnesses abuse of any kind in the game to report it to us."
Former Bayer Leverkusen star played 89 minutes of the London derby. Spurs won the game 1-0, with top scorer Harry Kane scoring the winner in the first half.
Spurs had previously issued a strongly-worded statement in February after allegations of social media abuse against Son during a Premier League match against Chelsea. Separately, a fan was banned and fined after making a racist gesture in an early-season game between the two sides.
Kick It Out have previously demanded change after the social media abuse in February. Son is one of a number of Premier League footballers to have been subjected to racist abuse on social media during the 2022-23 season, with Arsenal and England star Bukayo Saka receiving abuse after a game against West Ham in April.
“The longer it takes social media companies to take action, or government to pass the online safety bill, the more players will be abused. Both have been targeted in the past," Kick It Out's statement read.
“Are players just expected to take the abuse while we wait for reform? Players should not be victims, they need better protection online, and this is why change needs to come quickly.
“We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners across the game to ensure that those responsible for perpetrating discriminatory abuse face the strongest possible consequences for their actions.”
