A family outing outside Anfield turned into a hate-crime investigation after Salim Ahmed said he, his wife and three children were spat at and racially abused. Ahmed said the group were outside the ground on 7 August, and the eldest child was there for his 13th birthday. Merseyside Police and Liverpool are now involved.

The family account

Ahmed told the BBC: "Just as the five of us were looking at that, we suddenly heard the noise and then the feeling of spit land on us."

He added: "We could feel it in our hair and on our clothes."

Police described the youth as white, aged between 13 and 15, wearing dark blue shorts and a light grey top with dark sleeves. The account given by Ahmed is that youths on bikes began spitting at the family near the stadium, before the racist abuse followed.

Police and club response

Ch Insp Andrew Fielding said: "We will not tolerate hate crime or violence in our communities, and be assured that we will assess all information received and take appropriate action."

Fielding also described it as "an absolutely despicable abuse and assault of a family who were simply enjoying artwork near to Anfield Stadium, only to be confronted by youths intent on causing fear and distress."

Liverpool FC is said to be investigating and monitoring CCTV in the area while staying in direct contact with Ahmed. Merseyside Police quoted incident reference number 26000647046 in its appeal for information, and asked anyone with CCTV, dashcam or witness material to come forward.

The timing is disputed in the two reports, with one placing the incident on 7 August and another saying it happened around 9.30pm on Friday evening. Police also identified the officer as a chief inspector, while the later report called him Liverpool Police Chief Inspector.

What is not disputed is the scale of the complaint, and the fact that both police and the club are now dealing with it. The focus now is on finding witnesses and footage around Anfield, not on any confirmed outcome.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →