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Football

23rd Jan 2023

Arsenal fans arrested in Uganda for celebrating Man United win

Callum Boyle

Uganda Arsenal

The celebration police were quite literally out in force.

Eight Arsenal fans have been arrested in Uganda for celebrating their win against Manchester United.

Arsenal scored a 90th-minute winner against United to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.

Eddie Nketiah scored a brace for the Gunners – either side of a curling effort from Bukayo Saka – as Mikel Arteta’s side fought back from a goal down.

Marcus Rashford’s long-range effort gave the hosts the lead before Lisandro Martínez levelled the tie to make it 2-2 after Erik ten Hag’s side fell behind after the break.

The win sparked pandemonium at both the Emirates and anywhere else Arsenal fans were celebrating around the world as the prospect of winning a first top-flight title since 2004 becomes more and more of a reality.

But for police in Uganda, the celebrations were too much and eight Arsenal supporters were arrested. The fans were all seen wearing the club’s home kit while also holding a trophy which they were pretending was the Premier League’s.

They were travelling in a convoy of five vehicles before being arrested.

The authorities said that they didn’t have permission to perform the public procession, which is deemed a public offence.

Baker Kasule, one of the fans, told the local news outlet: “I don’t know what we have done but we were simply celebrating our victory over rivals Manchester United.”

James Mubi, the regional police boss and a self-declared Arsenal fan told the BBC that he had reviewed the fans’ charges and couldn’t understand why they were celebrating when there was still half of the season left to play.

“What would happen if an altercation with rival fans broke out? They did not inform police to provide security for their procession,” he said.

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