The Stars have banned a fan from American Airlines Arena indefinitely after images circulated of the spectator making what appeared to be a Nazi salute during a game this season.
A group of fans seemed to make the hateful gesture during a game in December, but the video only recently made waves on social media, which led the organization to launch an internal investigation.
The Stars were able to identify the fan who had purchased the tickets, but did not name him publicly and could not ID the others he was with.
“We identified and spoke with the individual who purchased the tickets and will be banning the individual indefinitely from American Airlines Center,” a Stars spokesperson told the Dallas Morning News.
“Additionally, we are increasing in-arena messaging regarding the Fan Code of Conduct and how our fans can report violations, along with prioritizing staff training to identify and handle situations that arise. Any type of discriminatory or hateful behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in our arena. Creating and sustaining environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful is a non-negotiable for the Dallas Stars.”
According to the outlet, the video first appeared on Reddit and showed several male Stars fans in the upper part of the arena during a Dec. 21 game against the Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center.
The men appeared to make the Nazi salute to the rhythm of the team’s goal song, “Puck Off” by Pantera.
In a statement last week, an arena spokesperson said that the venue has a “zero tolerance for any acts of hate and/or discrimination.”
Both the American Airlines Arena and the NHL have fan codes of conduct that were violated by the gestures made by the fans.
The NHL has not said if the ban would be extended to all league events for the fan who did the hateful salute.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
