(CNN) -- Italian prosecutors will press charges against at least one person after racist abuse during a soccer game prompted AC Milan players to walk off the field in the middle of a game.
Police and stadium cameras have identified a 20-year-old man and prosecutors expect to identify more people to charges, prosecutor Mirko Monti told CNN.
AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng, the main target of the abuse, kicked a ball into the stands, tore his shirt and led his team off the field Thursday in a rare protest against racist behavior by soccer fans.
Boateng was one of several black Milan players, along with M'Baye Niang, Urby Emanuelson and Sulley Muntari, who were the targets of racist abuse in the friendly against Pro Patria.
England midfielder Danny Rose claims he was subjected to monkey chants before, during and after the second-leg of their Under-21 Euro 2013 playoff match against Serbia on Tuesday, and had stones thrown at him by the crowd in Krusevac. Fans also ran on to the pitch and scuffles broke out after a 1-0 win secured England qualification for Euro 2013.
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Boateng, who was visibly upset by the chanting, picked up the ball and kicked it into the crowd. After the incident, Boateng tweeted: "Shame that these things still happen... #StopRacismforever."
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"We are disappointed and saddened by what has happened," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters.
"Milan play for the right to respect all players. We need to stop these uncivilized gestures.
"We are sorry for all the other fans who came here for a beautiful day of sport.
"We promise to return, and we are sorry for the club and players of Pro Patria, but we could not make any other decision.
"I hope it can be an important signal."
Italian Football Association president Giancarlo Abete also hit out at the unsavory scenes and announced an investigation into the incident.
Abete said in a statement on the Italian FA website: "No sanction or measure can erase the disdain for an unspeakable and intolerable episode.
"We must react with force and without silence to isolate the few criminals that transformed a friendly match into an uproar that offends all of Italian football."
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Boateng is not the first footballer to take a stand over racist abuse.
Former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o threatened to leave the field back in February 2006 after being subjected to racist abuse and pelted with bottles during a game against Real Zaragoza.
The Cameroon forward, who now plays for Anzhi Makhachkala, tried to walk off only to be persuaded to remain by then manager Frank Rijkaard.
And in 2011, Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos walked off the field after a banana was thrown at him during a Russian league game.
Carlos, who was 38 at the time, was playing for Anzhi in the city of Samara in the Caucasus region. The Brazilian is now Anzhi's team director.
After picking up the banana, Carlos walked off the field visibly upset before sitting on the bench.
This season matches across Europe have been punctuated by repeated outbursts of racism. Ahead of the European Championship finals in Poland and Ukraine, UEFA president Michel Platini had urged players to allow the referee to deal with the problem of racist abuse, and stressed that officials could stop games if necessary.
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"It is a referee's job to stop the match and he is to do so if there are any problems of this kind," said Platini
However UEFA has come under criticism for the punishments it has handed out regarding racist abuse.
In December UEFA appealed the decision of its own disciplinary committee after the Serbian Football Association was fined $105,000 for improper conduct by Europe's governing body following allegations of racist abuse during the under-21 game with England.
That fine was far less than that handed out to Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner, who was forced to pay $125,800 for exposing boxer shorts with the logo of an online betting company during the European Championship Finals.
Last year, Manchester City officials were infuriated after the club was fined $40,000 by UEFA for taking to the pitch late for a Europa League game -- $13,000 more than Porto's sanction for fans' racist abuse during a game against the English team.
Milan's squad captain Massimo Ambrosini gave his backing to Boateng's actions, insisting a "message had to be sent against uncivilized people."
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"I am sorry for all those who were at the stadium but a strong message had to be sent," said Ambrosini.
"AC Milan will make an effort to go back to Busto Arsizio especially for the children and for those who have nothing to do with racism but a message had to be sent against such uncivilized people."
AC Milan director Umberto Gandini added on Twitter: "Very proud of the Milan players who decided to walk off the pitch today for racist abuse from few idiots! No racism, no stupidity!"
Milan returns to league action on Sunday against Siena.
Pato
Meanwhile, World Club Cup winners Corinthians has announced it has agreed a $19.6 million deal with Milan for Brazil striker Alexandre Pato.
The 23-year-old, who joined Milan in 2007 from Internacional, scored 63 goals for the Italian giant during his five-year stint with the club.
But his career has been hampered by injuries in recent years, with the forward managing just 11 appearances last season and seven so far this campaign.
"In the coming days, Pato, who will wear the number seven shirt, will undergo a medical and then sign a four-year contract," said a club statement.
Milan confirmed the deal on its official website: "AC Milan can announce that Alexandre Pato has been sold outright to Sporting Club Corinthians Paulista."
In an open letter on the club's website, Pato said: "I wish to salute and especially thank everyone. From the president to the many people I worked with in these unforgettable years at Milan.
"I am going to Brazil, to Corinthians, so I'll have the opportunity to play consistently. It will not, however, be easy to forget Milan.
"I will always be tied to this jersey, the club colors and all the Rossoneri fans. Above all at this moment my thoughts and my biggest thanks go to them."
Iona Serrapica contributed to this report.
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The Macedonia FA were fined $26,000 after fans racially abused England trio Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Emile Heskey during a qualifying game for Euro 2004.
In September 2011, Bulgaria were fined $55,000 after a small number of fans directed monkey chants at England's Ashley Young, Cole and Theo Walcott during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia.
Russia was hit with a $38,000 punishment after supporters made monkey noises towards Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie during Euro 2012
The Croatian FA were ordered to pay a $16,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct during the Euro 2008 quarter-final tie against Turkey.
Russia were again in the news for the wrong reasons at Euro 2012 and were fined $39,00 for "the setting off and throwing of fireworks by Russia spectators, displaying of illicit banners and the invasion of the pitch by a supporter," during the Euro 2012 tie against Poland. Russia was also fined $155,000 after clashes between supporters and police during and after their game against the Czech Republic.
Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner was given a one-match ban and a $126,000 fine after he lifted his shirt to reveal a betting company's logo on his underwear while celebrating a goal against Portugal in a Euro 2012 group game.
Porto were hit by a $27,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of subjecting Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli to monkey chants during a Europa League game in February 2012. It took UEFA six weeks to finally hand out a punishment. But questions were raised after UEFA also fined City $40,000 after the club were found guilty of coming back out on to the field of play late after the halftime interval.
Each season anti-discrimination organisation Kick it Out holds a week of action to promote awareness about its anti-racism work. But Reading's Grenadian striker Jason Roberts, who has played in England for the last 15 years, has said he will not wear the Kick It Out T-shirt in protest at what he perceives to be the campaign group's lack of action in combating racism in football.
Lazio was hit with a $52,000 fine by UEFA following racist chanting by its supporters during the Europa League fixture with Tottenham last month. But leading figures within the games say it is time for clubs and countries to be banned from playing matches if they are found guilty of racist abuse.
On Thursday, Chelsea captain John Terry opted not to appeal the English Football Association's verdict that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
It is now nearly a year since Chelsea lost to QPR 1-0 in an English Premier League game at Loftus Road. During the game it was alleged QPR defender Ferdinand swore at Terry and made reference to the Chelsea captain's reported affair with the ex-partner of former team-mate Wayne Bridge. Terry is then said to have described Ferdinand as a "f***ing black c***".
In July, Terry was cleared in a London court, where the criminal burden of proof is "beyond all reasonable doubt".
But the English Football Association then investigated the case, and using the test of "on the balance of probabilities", came to the conclusion that Terry's defence against claims he racially abused Ferdinand was "improbable, implausible, contrived". In September, Ferdinand declined Terry's offer of a handshake when QPR met Chelsea at Loftus Road as the feud between the two players rumbled on.
After an independent commission's report on the Terry case, the Chelsea captain's teammate Ashley Cole tweeted: "Hahahahaa, well done #fa I lied did I, #BUNCHOFT***S". The Chelsea and England left-back quickly issued a "unreserved apology" for his tweet through his solicitor, but he was fined $145,000 by the FA.
In 2011 the FA had to deal with another racism case, this time handing Liverpool striker Luis Suarez an eight-match ban and a $63,000 fine after finding the Uruguayan guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
Suarez and Evra failed to shake hands before the start of an English Premier League game at Old Trafford last season after the Uruguayan had served his ban. However, when United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in September, the pair did shake hands.
The last year has proved uncomfortable for the FA and questions have been raised over the differing punishments handed out to Terry and Suarez.
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