Spurs fan arrested for throwing banana skin after Aubameyang goal

Six more arrests for public order offences — at least two of which were Arsenal fans

A banana thrown from the crowd after Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores his second goal against Tottenham. Photograph: Getty Images

A Tottenham supporter was arrested during Sunday’s north London derby for throwing a banana skin onto the pitch after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had put Arsenal ahead.

The Gunners ran out 4-2 winners in a memorable meeting at the Emirates Stadium, with Metropolitan Police afterwards confirming there were seven arrests made.

British media are reporting one of those arrests came after a banana skin was hurled from the away end as Aubameyang celebrated scoring an early penalty in front of the Tottenham fans.

There were also six arrests for public order offences — at least two of which are believed to be Arsenal supporters who lit smoke canisters during the match.

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“Behaviour such as this is completely unacceptable and the supporter in question will be issued with a ban,” a Tottenham spokesman said.

Aubameyang had opened the scoring before an Eric Dier header and a Harry Kane spot-kick sent Spurs in ahead at half-time.

The Gabon forward went on to equalise, with Arsenal wrapping up the points through Alexandre Lacazette and Lucas Torreira strikes.

The unrest was not restricted to the stands as the two sets of players had to be separated following Dier’s equaliser.

The England midfielder celebrated by putting his finger to his lips, with Arsenal substitute Stephan Lichtsteiner reacting angrily to the gesture and referee Mike Dean showing Dier a yellow card.

Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino ran down the touchline to help calm matters, with Dier afterwards defending his own actions in the incident.

“I had my back to it all so I’m not too sure what happened,” he said of the scuffle.

“But this is football. It’s a derby. Football is all about emotion and I don’t understand how I can get a yellow card in that situation.

“It baffles me because if you take the emotion out of football you’re going to destroy the game for everyone.

“The ref said he gave me the yellow card because it was because of me that the whole thing started.

“If you watch it, we’re celebrating, I don’t leave the pitch at any point and some of their players that are on the bench come to us.

“Their players approached us. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. But it doesn’t matter. It wasn’t because of that we lost.”