Overview
- Joe Willock received Instagram direct messages containing racial slurs and violent threats after Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
- Willock shared a screenshot of the abuse on his Instagram story and posted a brief public response to the sender.
- Newcastle reported the incident to Northumbria Police, and an investigation is under way with support from the UK Football Policing Unit.
- The club urged Meta to give police the account information needed to identify the perpetrator, saying content removal and filters are insufficient.
- The Premier League issued a statement condemning the abuse and offering support, with coverage noting similar recent cases and FIFA’s warning about rising online harassment of players.