The American Airlines Center in Dallas is investigating whether a group of fans made a Nazi salute during a December game, according to reports.
The fans in question were allegedly captured doing the gesture during a 5-1 win against the Maple Leafs on Dec. 21, and the clip recently went viral.
“American Airlines Arena (AAC) has zero tolerance for any acts of hate and/or discrimination, and we aim to ensure an environment for our guests that is free from disruptive behaviors, including foul/abusive language and obscene gestures,” the AAC said in a release Wednesday, per ESPN.
“As such, we strongly denounce the actions that appear to be depicted in the video footage and are conducting an internal investigation. All fans and attendees are expected to adhere to AAC and, as applicable, NBA or NHL Codes of Conduct when attending events.”
The Stars are also contributing to the investigation.
“(We are) fully aligned with the arena’s statement and working with them to find out exactly what happened,” a team spokesperson told ESPN.
The shocking video from December allegedly shows a group of four fans doing the Nazi salute — extending their right arm at an angle — while the team celebrated a goal during its lopsided win.
Fans around them pumped their first, but these fans clearly did a different action.
A Reddit post featuring a clip brought awareness to the situation earlier this week, and the video has since gone viral, with one clip having 4.4 million views.
The AAC added in its statement that patrons who violate a code of conduct may be subject to “the extent their conduct constitutes a violation of applicable law, prosecution.”
The NHL code of conduct says “it expect that fans also fully support the values of respect, inclusion and safety at all times through their words, actions, and interactions with other fans, arena staff, Club and event personnel, Players, Coaches and Officials while attending all NHL games and events.”
Penalties include a potential lifetime ban from future NHL events.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
