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Offensive Leicester City football banner probed by police

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The two clubs played each other at the CBS Arena

Police said they were searching for people who put up an offensive banner aimed at Leicester City fans ahead of their Midlands derby with Coventry.

Warwickshire Police said it referenced the helicopter crash which killed the club's chairman and was hung over the A444 in Exhall on Saturday.

Insp Mark Calvert said the sign, one of several seized in the region, "looked like it had been professionally made".

Both football clubs condemned those who put offensive banners up.

The Sky Blues said at the weekend they were working with West Midlands Police to "identify those who created and displayed" such banners over the M69 ahead of the match on Saturday.

Google A444 in ExhallGoogle
The banner was put up over the A444 in Exhall, said police

Meanwhile, Insp Calvert said Warwickshire officers were investigating the banner left in their force's area on School Lane over the A444.

"On Saturday we saw shocking behaviour from a very small number of people and I'm sure most football fans will join me in condemning the behaviour," he said.

"We are investigating to establish who was responsible for leaving the sign and will look to take appropriate action.

"The sign looked like it had been professionally made so we're appealing for anyone who has any knowledge around how it was produced or who placed it over the road to get in touch with us."

The helicopter crash on 27 October 2018 killed Leicester City's former chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people.

West Midlands Police said it was continuing to investigate the offensive banners with colleagues in Warwickshire and Coventry City.

The force added there was "sporadic disorder" outside the CBS Arena before and after Saturday's match and three men were arrested on suspicion of affray.

Officers also arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and a man, 31, on suspicion of throwing a missile.

A 34 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a homophobic public order offence, they added.

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