An investigation has been launched after a photo of a group of fans throwing up a Nazi salute at a Dallas Stars game has gone viral.
A photo of the incident, which happened back in December, has made the rounds on the internet – drawing outrage and calls for further action from the Stars and their home building, the American Airlines Center (AAC).
The AAC has launched an investigation after the issue was brought to their attention.
‘American Airlines Center (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.’
WARNING: SOCIAL MEDIA POST BELOW CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
The Dallas Stars are investigating an incident where fans displayed Nazi salutes at a game
The incident took place at this game between the Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs in December
A Dallas Stars spokesperson also told the outlet, ‘(We are) fully aligned with the arena’s statement and working with them to find out exactly what happened.’
Video of the incident stemmed from a 5-1 Stars win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 21.
In the video, five unidentified fans were seen doing a Nazi salute – extending their right arm at an upward angle – while celebrating a goal.
Other fans around them were seen also celebrating the score without going so far as to throw up the fascist gesture.
A post to Reddit sparked the virality of the video, with one clip owning 4.4million views.
In their statement, the AAC added that patrons found to violate a code of conduct can be subject to prosecution if ‘the extent [of] their conduct constitutes a violation of applicable law.’
The NHL’s code of conduct states that the league ‘expect[s] 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.’
Violations of the NHL code of conduct could result in punishment which includes a potential lifetime ban from future NHL events.
