LONDON, Ontario (AP) — A fan who threw a banana at a black player during an NHL exhibition game has been fined $200.
Christopher Moorhouse lobbed a banana at Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds as he was approaching Detroit Red Wings goalie Jordan Pearce during a shootout in the Sept. 22 game in London, Ontario.
The 26-year-old Moorhouse pleaded guilty Monday but did not appear in court. Moorhouse was charged charged with a provincial trespassing and given 90 days to pay the fine. Police said there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Moorhouse with a hate crime.
Moorhouse’s lawyer, Faisal Joseph, has said his client didn’t know hurling bananas at black athletes could be seen as hateful.
