Prosecutor’s Office Finds No Criminal Offense in Insults Directed at Vinícius Jr at Montjuïc

The Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office has requested the closure of the case against several Barcelona fans accused of directing racist insults at Vinícius Jr during the El Clásico match held at Montjuïc in 2023. The public ministry has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support charges of inciting hatred and has consequently moved to dismiss the open case.

The Hate Crimes Prosecutor’s Office in Barcelona, which has been handling the case, has confirmed through a written statement that the case will be closed due to the inability to clearly identify the specific expressions used by the Barcelona supporters. The public ministry has determined that these expressions, even if offensive, do not constitute a hate crime as they did not incite the public to join in the chants nor did they result in the suspension of the match.

With the prosecutor’s request to close the open case, the matter now rests with the investigating judge, who will refer the case to the Office for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination. This office will then decide whether to initiate proceedings and potentially sanction those under investigation.

It is worth noting that, along with the Barcelona Hate Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, which has now decided to close the case, the other parties involved in the case were La Liga, Real Madrid, and Vinícius Jr himself. The Office for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination will now determine the fate of a case that has been open for nearly two years.