Police investigate after 12 year-old boy punched at City game
Arsenal fan was assaulted by a man described as 'middle-aged.'
Police have launched an investigation after a 12 year old Arsenal fan was punched in the face by a City fan at the recent Etihad game.
Emerson Butler was subjected to an unprovoked attack as he walked with his father Richard away from the Etihad stadium on Sunday and towards their car.
They passed a parked minibus with a group of middle-aged City fans outside who engaged them in a brief conversation.
After Emerson calmly and without provocation said he thought the 2-2 draw was a fair result, one of the group punched him in the face, bloodying his nose and mouth.
His father said Emerson, who was wearing an Arsenal top, is almost 6ft tall but is unmistakably a child.
Emerson ran off like an Olympic sprinter'' and when he got in the car took a picture of his injuries.
Mr Butler, a sports journalist, said: He is exceptionally tall but there's no mistaking him as not a child and the man had spent time speaking to him before that.
"He had looked right in Emerson's face, he knew he was a child. "Even now I still cannot believe that something like this has happened in 2016 at football. In the '80s stuff like this happened, but not now.''
Mr Butler, an exiled Arsenal fan living in Darlington, has been taking his son to games since he was five and said Emerson, who used to like chatting to opposing fans, has been left wary about going to games.
He has suffered bruising to his face and Emerson, who is placid and dislikes trouble, remained upset about the assault.
Kind City fans offered help in the aftermath, his father said.
The club has been in touch to offer him a VIP trip back to the stadium when City play Arsenal next year.
Disgusted blues fans have donated almost £600 on a gofundme page to be spent on showing him a true City welcome. Mr Butler was pleased with the response and said: "This has helped Emerson to see that it is a one-off. "I think Man City have come out of this really well except for one guy and his group.'' Mr Butler said there has been widespread condemnation on football forums, and he now wanted his son's attacker to come forward. I would like him to apologise,'' he said.If he has the character to do that, I don't know. It's probably not going to happen. I'm hoping he will understand the mistake that he has made.''