A man has been arrested over the racist abuse of England players on social media following Sunday's Euro 2020 final defeat.
Greater Manchester Police said the 37-year-old from Ashton-Upon-Mersey was arrested on suspicion of an offence under the Malicious Communications Act, after he went to Cheadle Heath police station on Wednesday morning.
He remains in custody for questioning.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were subjected to a torrent of racist abuse on social media after they failed to score in the penalty shoot-out against Italy on Sunday.
Detective Inspector Matt Gregory, of GMP's Trafford division, said: "The actions of a small number of people overshadowed what was a hugely unifying event for our country on Sunday evening.
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"We are firm in our commitment, any racist abuse whether online or off is not acceptable."
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Hundreds leave messages of support on Rashford mural
It follows the arrest of a man on Tuesday by police investigating a racist tweet aimed at Rashford.
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West Mercia Police said the 50-year-old, from Powick, near Worcester, was detained on suspicion of inciting racial hatred following reports of an inappropriate tweet posted on Sunday.
The man, who was not named by police, has since been released under investigation.
Inspector Pete Nightingale, from Worcester police station, said: "We encourage people to make these reports and are pleased with the speed at which we have been able to deal with this incident.
"We continue to work with the local football community and have links with the local clubs to ensure that this behaviour is dealt with appropriately."
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PM and Starmer clash over racism
Other England players, manager Gareth Southgate, the Football Association and politicians including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel have condemned the online abuse which is being investigated by police.
There has been an outpouring of support from the public for the trio, with hundreds of fans gathering to leave messages at a mural of Rashford in Manchester after it was defaced by vandals.
Now Wales says it will keep mask laws: Mark Drakeford confirms he will copy Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon and retain face covering rules when he lifts almost all other lockdown restrictions next month - leaving Boris isolated in England
Drakeford said masks would stay for public transport and most indoor settings
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed masks would stay law in Scotland yesterday
Johnson has made the wearing of masks discretionary in England from Monday
Wales will follow Scotland and keep mask-wearing laws in place after almost all other lockdown rules are scrapped, it was confirmed today.
First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed it would remain mandatory to wear a face covering on public transport and in most indoor settings after the country moves to Level 0 next month.
His remarks will heap pressure on Boris Johnson, who has made the wearing of masks discretionary in England from Monday.
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed masks would stay in Scotland yesterday as she accused the PM of acting to avoid a clash with his lockdown-sceptic backbenchers.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has also moved to keep them compulsory on public transport in the capital.
Mr Drakeford said today that Wales will move fully into alert Level 1 from July 17 - following a four-week pause due to the rise of the Delta variant. If infection rates then remain stable and even more people are vaccinated, Wales will move to Level 0 on August 7.
'The virus is still with us and we know many people are still anxious about going out and about,' Mr Drakeford said.
'Social distancing requirements and mask rules will remain indoors from 17 July. But we will gradually ease masks as the public health risk decreases.'
From July 17, up to six people can meet indoors in private homes and holiday accommodation, organised indoor events can take place for up to 1,000 people seated and up to 200 standing, and ice rinks can reopen.
Mr Drakeford said today that Wales will move fully into alert Level 1 from July 17 - following a four-week pause due to the rise of the Delta variant.
Nicola Sturgein last night said rules on wearing masks indoors in Scotland would stay in place 'not just now but in all likelihood for some time to come'
Mr Drakeford said: 'We are entering a new phase of the pandemic. Cases of the virus have risen sharply since the Delta variant emerged six weeks ago but, thanks to our fantastic vaccination programme, we are not seeing these translate into large numbers of people falling seriously ill or needing hospital treatment.
'We can be reasonably confident that vaccination has weakened the link between infections and serious illness.
'But there is still a risk that this third wave of the pandemic could cause real harm - either direct harm from the virus or indirect harm from, for example, people having to isolate.
'We can move to alert Level 1 for indoor spaces from July 17 and go further for outdoor spaces because we know the risk of transmission outdoors is lower.
'We are also publishing plans for a new alert Level 0, which will have fewer legal restrictions but which will still need all of us to take steps to protect ourselves.'
The country's incidence rate is currently 147 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people - the lowest in the UK - and it also has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
On Tuesday, there were 69 people in Welsh hospitals with Covid-19.
If Wales moves to alert Level 0 on August 7, all premises will be able to open and most - but not all - restrictions will be removed and replaced with the ongoing requirement for all organisations and businesses to carry out Covid risk assessments.
There will also be no legal limit on the number of people who can meet others indoors, including in private homes.
Face coverings will continue to be required by law in most indoor public places and on public transport, with the exception of hospitality settings.
Mr Drakeford said: 'The pandemic is not over and the virus continues to spread across Wales, which makes it really important for everyone to say yes to vaccination and to do everything we can to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.
'Even though vaccines have weakened the link between the virus and hospitalisation, we are seeing young, fit people suffer from long Covid, which, for some, has a major impact on their lives.
'We have the headroom to continue to gradually remove restrictions, but each and every one of us has a really important part to play to keep Wales safe as we head into the summer.'
Mr Drakeford also confirmed that people who have who have been fully vaccinated in the UK will no longer need to self-isolate if they are returning from an amber list country, in line with the position in England and Scotland.
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Conservative group in the Senedd, said: 'There will never be a perfect time to lift all restrictions and sadly no date will come with zero risk, but, with the vaccines working, we need to start the important job of rebuilding the Welsh economy.
'With some restrictions set to stay in place for at least another three weeks, and Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay sitting on £1.2 billion of unallocated funding, it's vital this is now used to support those businesses still affected.
'We have to learn to live with this virus, and we must all continue to carefully manage the risks and exercise personal judgment when going about our lives.'
Wales is set to announce further easing of coronavirus restrictions today, which could bring it in line with England removing nearly all measures from 19 July.
First Minister Mark Drakeford will "set out any changes to the existing restrictions" at around midday, he announced in a tweet on Monday.
"Please note any changes announced by Boris Johnson apply to England only - decision on COVID rules for Wales are made in Wales," he wrote earlier in the week.
Mr Drakeford is expected to confirm that Wales will fully move from alert level two to alert level one, after delaying the decision by four weeks at the last review.
The announcement could include a relaxation on how many people are allowed to meet in private homes. However, Mr Drakeford's cabinet will make the final decision on what specific rules are relaxed on Wednesday morning.
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There is also talk of creating a new alert level zero for later in the summer which will see most restrictions gone.
On Monday, new Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that all remaining restrictions on social contact will lift in England as planned on 19 July.
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This means face masks are no longer compulsory, although wearing them will remain a condition of using public transport in London.
People are no longer required to practise social distancing or work from home.
It will also see nightclubs reopen and people allowed to meet as many people as they want both indoors and outdoors, without having to 'check in' to venues with the NHS COVID-19 app.
Currently in Wales:
You can only meet in groups of six in indoor venues such as pubs, restaurants and bars
You are not allowed anyone in your home outside a three-household bubble
You can only meet in groups of 30 outdoors
Outdoor events are allowed with up to 10,000 people seated or 4,000 people standing
Guests at weddings, funerals and wakes are limited depending on venue size
Face masks and social distancing outside of your household is compulsory
You should work from home if you can
You should minimise travel to areas with high coronavirus cases
Nightclubs and ice-skating rinks are closed
All other hospitality, leisure, education and holiday venues are open
International travel is allowed
In England from 19 July, none of the restrictions in place in Wales will apply in England, leaving people to mix freely.
People who are not fully-vaccinated and either contract COVID or come into close contact with someone who has will still be required to isolate by NHS Test and Trace.
But those who have had two jabs, or are under-18, will no longer have to isolate from 16 August.
The Welsh first minister's announcement could see Wales fall in line with England, with nearly all COVID measures removed from the third week of July.
But Mr Drakeford has already said that face masks will still be mandatory until "COVID is no longer a public health threat".
Doctors have criticised the relaxation of restrictions in England as "irresponsible and frankly perilous", claiming that some intensive care wards are already back at near-full capacity and admissions are spiralling despite the vaccine rollout.
So this could lead the devolved nations, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, to hold off on easing restrictions until later this summer.
BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said of the decision in England: "The BMA has repeatedly warned of the rapidly rising infection rate and the crippling impact that COVID-related hospitalisations continue to have on the NHS.
"Not only pushing staff to the brink of collapse but also driving up already lengthy waiting times for elective care.
"The prime minister repeatedly emphasised the importance of a slow and cautious approach.
"But in reality the government is throwing caution to the wind by scrapping all regulations in one fell swoop - with potentially devastating consequences."
You can watch Mark Drakeford's coronavirus announcement live on Sky News this afternoon, or follow our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates.
Sadiq Khan has said Transport for London will continue to enforce the wearing of face masks on services in the capital beyond 19 July.
From Monday, the legal requirement to wear face masks on public transport in England will end as part of the government's roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions.
But Boris Johnson has called on the public to exercise "personal responsibility" and continue to wear masks in "crowded and enclosed spaces".
Image:Mr Khan said the 'simplest and safest option' would have been for the government to keep the legal requirement for mask-wearing in place
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told MPs last week that he was "very relaxed" about airlines, train firms and bus operators imposing their own COVID-related rules, including on wearing face masks, beyond 19 July.
Industry bodies said on Tuesday that no domestic train operators or major bus and coach firms will require passengers to wear masks from Monday.
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However, Mr Khan has said he is "not prepared to stand by and put Londoners, and our city's recovery, at risk" by not continuing to enforce mask-wearing.
He has asked TfL to make mask-wearing a "condition of carriage" after 19 July.
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The London mayor said: "By keeping face masks mandatory we will give Londoners and visitors the reassurance and confidence to make the most of what our city has to offer, while also protecting our heroic transport workers and those who may be vulnerable and rely on the network to get around our city.
"It's an extra layer of protection on top of TfL's world-leading enhanced cleaning regime - and I'm sure Londoners will continue to do the right thing as they have done throughout the pandemic, and continue to wear a face covering on TfL services."
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Masks 'recommended' in crowded areas post-19 July
Mr Khan said the "simplest and safest option" would have been for the government to keep the legal requirement for mask-wearing in place.
Critics of the government's approach have accused ministers of sending mixed messages, questioning why the mask mandate is being removed when members of the public will still be expected to wear them in some settings.
"As we've set out, we're moving from a universal government diktat to relying on people's personal responsibility," a government spokeswoman said.
"The guidance is clear that people are expected and recommended to wear a mask when they come into contact with people they don't normally meet in enclosed and crowded spaces.
"It is open to transport operators to decide if they want to take further measures."
Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association union, welcomed the London mayor's call.
"We welcome this move and hope that TfL, other transport authorities and rail operators will take similar measures to protect both staff and passengers," he said.
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COVID-19: Reaction to change in mask rules
"Continuing to wear face coverings in crowded areas is simple, sensible and will boost confidence in public transport."
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said there should be "consistency" across local and national services.
"This is welcome from the London mayor and is consistent with the position currently adopted in Scotland, Wales and on Eurostar," he said.
"However, we now have the ludicrous position where a passenger travelling through London will have different rules on the tube and the main line services.
"The train operating companies and the government should be following this lead in the name of consistency, common sense and public safety."
Passengers on all TfL services - including the Tube, bus, tram Docklands Light Railway, Overground and TfL Rail - will need to keep wearing a face covering in stations and for the entirety of their journey unless they are exempt.
Enforcement officers in London would be able to deny access or eject passengers who are found to not be complying with the mask requirement.
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Labour backs mandatory mask wearing
Station staff and bus drivers will continue to remind users of London's transport network that face masks are a requirement post-19 July, while enforcement officers will be able to refuse entry to people not wearing one and who do not have a valid exemption.
They will also be able to ask people to leave services for failing to comply.
Mr Khan has also asked TfL to ensure that mask-wearing continues in taxis and private hire vehicles, both from drivers and passengers unless they are exempt.
According to TfL, almost 212,000 people over the past year have been stopped by enforcement officers and required to put on a face mask before getting on a service.
Nearly 14,000 people have been prevented from boarding while 3,200 have been ejected, TfL said.
A total of 4,300 fixed penalty notices have been handed out since the rules around mask-wearing came into force last summer.
Tube use is around 40-45% of pre-pandemic levels while bus usage is around 60-65%, according to TfL.
Celtic have pleaded with the authorities to let as many as 20,000 fans into next week’s Champions League showdown with Midtjylland.
The move comes after Nicola Sturgeon announced that clubs will be given the green light to have crowds of 2000 back inside Scotland’s grounds from Monday.
But Record Sport can reveal new Parkhead chief executive Dominic McKay immediately followed up the First Minister’s announcement by submitting a special application to have 10 times that number permitted for the crunch qualifier against the Danes.
The FM left the door open for clubs to request bigger attendances when she confirmed the next stage of relaxing Covid restrictions, including taking the padlocks off turnstiles when the country moves into level 0 at the start of next week.
But McKay is pleading Celtic’s case by pointing out that 12,500 Scotland fans were allowed into Hampden for the Euros last month despite the rules at the time only allowing for 500.
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Record Sport understands Celtic were still waiting for an answer last night after opening discussions with politicians and health chiefs who are still nervous about unlocking, despite feeling the heat as England pushes ahead with lifting restrictions.
Parkhead will have 2000 punters on board for this weekend’s friendly clash with Preston and Hoops ace Greg Taylor admitted he’ll be happy if there are any fans inside after last season’s closed-doors misery.
He said: “If it is anything, we would love it. We got a wee glimpse of that at the Scotland games and what a difference it made.
“Football needs fans and us especially, we miss them and we can’t wait to have however many we can get back.
“I think we’ve got to leave last year behind, it was disappointing, but of course we missed the fans.
“We were probably one of the teams who suffered the most but hopefully we’ll have them back this year and it will help us on.”
