A HATE crime in which fans hurled homophobic abuse at another spectator at a lower league football match is under investigated.

The incident happened at Lancing FC’s game against Eastbourne Town at the former’s ground in Culver Road on November 16.

A video of the incident has been shared on social media.

Footage shows a group of youths hurling abuse at the cameraman, yelling “f****t” and “child pornography”.

They then chant “paedo” as they jeer and repeatedly point at the man.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Sussex Police recorded this incident as a hate crime, however the matter is being investigated by the Sussex County FA, pending any further information coming to light.”

A spokesman for Sussex FA said the organisation was aware of this incident and “investigating accordingly”.

It came just weeks before two football fans were thrown out of a Premier League game and arrested over homophobic abuse.

The visiting supporters were detained during Albion’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Amex on Sunday.

Sussex Police provided an update on the arrested pair.

A spokesman said: “Two football fans were arrested following reports of homophobic gestures made at the Amex Stadium on Sunday.

“The suspects – both away fans during Brighton and Hove Albion’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers – were identified by club stewards and arrested on suspicion of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

“The two men – aged 46 and 48, and both from Bridgnorth in Shropshire – have been released under investigation pending further enquiries.”

The arrests came amid a show of solidarity from Albion fans with the LGBT community.

The crowd at the Amex on Sunday formed a huge rainbow across one of the stadium’s stands to show support for the Rainbow Laces campaign.

This is run by LGBT rights charity Stonewall, which is named after the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City’s Greenwich Village.

A spokesman for the Rainbow Laces campaign said: “It’s as simple as this: do something active while

wearing your rainbow laces, raise vital funds for Stonewall and tell everyone why you support LGBT equality in sport.”