**A man has been arrested after allegations of racist abuse at Anfield stadium.**
The incident took place during Friday’s Premier League fixture between Liverpool and Bournemouth with visiting player Antoine Semenyo targeted.
Referee Anthony Taylor temporarily halted play to notify the managers and captains from both teams after it occurred at the front of the Main Stand.
Merseyside Police have since confirmed that a 47-year-old man from Liverpool was removed from the stadium after his identity was established.
He has now been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and been taken into custody to be interviewed by officers.
Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander for the Liverpool v Bournemouth game, said: “Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form.
“We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible.
“There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.
“As with all matches, we work very closely with both Liverpool and Everton FC to ensure the safety of the public , and the players.”
A Liverpool FC spokesperson for condemned the alleged abuse and vowed to support the live investigation, adding: “We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society, or football.”
To report a hate crime, contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC.
You can also call 101, or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
If, for any reason, you do not wish to report a hate crime to the police, the independent charity Stop Hate UK to run a 24/7 confidential helpline for all victims of hate crime on 0800 138 1625 or [stophateuk.org](http://www.stophateuk.org).
You can also download the Stop Hate UK reporting app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.