A 14-year-old boy has handed himself in to West Midlands Police after a video circulating on social media appeared to show a fan using a photograph of Bradley Lowery to taunt Sunderland supporters during Saturday’s Premier League match against Coventry City.
Lowery, a Sunderland fan, died aged six in 2017 from neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. His mother, Gemma, issued a statement through the Bradley Lowery Foundation, which supports children with cancer and raises awareness of the disease.
West Midlands Police said it had launched a “thorough investigation” and that officers would speak to the boy in due course. The force said it understood the upset caused to the community and Lowery’s family, and was working with both clubs while keeping them updated.
Coventry City said it was investigating the footage and stressed that the club does not tolerate offensive behaviour. It added that it would cooperate with the relevant authorities.
Gemma Lowery said her son deserved to be remembered “with love, not hate”. She described the use of the photograph as heartbreaking and said that, while her family supported football banter, mocking a child who died from cancer could not be considered banter.
She also said she did not want hatred directed at the fan, but hoped the club would take appropriate action and that his family would help him understand the impact of his actions.
Sources: BBC Sport.