- Oct 29, 2016
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https://www.standard.co.uk/news/cri...ang-fined-500-after-magistrates-a4020606.html
A Tottenham fan who threw a banana skin at Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the North London derby has been fined £500 after magistrates ruled it was a targeted racist incident.
Van driver Averof Panteli, 57, claims he picked up the peel in anger from the floor and threw it after the Gabon-born striker had opened the scoring.
He was caught on CCTV holding the banana skin and ejected from the Emirates Stadium, but told police afterwards he had not meant to racially abuse the player.
But Mervyn Mandell, sitting Highbury Corner magistrates court this morning, rejected Panteli's claim that it was not a racist incident.
"It was a deliberate action and we find it was a targeted gesture to throw a banana skin after a goal was scored by a black player", he said.
A Tottenham fan who threw a banana skin at Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the North London derby has been fined £500 after magistrates ruled it was a targeted racist incident.
Van driver Averof Panteli, 57, claims he picked up the peel in anger from the floor and threw it after the Gabon-born striker had opened the scoring.
He was caught on CCTV holding the banana skin and ejected from the Emirates Stadium, but told police afterwards he had not meant to racially abuse the player.
But Mervyn Mandell, sitting Highbury Corner magistrates court this morning, rejected Panteli's claim that it was not a racist incident.
"It was a deliberate action and we find it was a targeted gesture to throw a banana skin after a goal was scored by a black player", he said.