The American Airlines Center has launched an investigation into four Dallas Stars fans doing what appears to be a Nazi salute during a December game.
A 12-second video clip from Dallas’ 5-1 win on Dec. 21 against the Toronto Maple Leafs shows Stars fans celebrating a goal with four of them appearing to raise and extend their right arms with a straightened right hand facing downward.
Despite the game being played in December, the clip was amplified this week on numerous social media platforms.
“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 arena said in a statement Wednesday. “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.
“Guests who violate any such Code of Conduct may be subject to ejection from the event without refund and, to the extent their conduct constitutes a violation of applicable law, prosecution.”
A Stars spokesperson told ESPN on Thursday that the team is “fully aligned with the arena’s statement and working with them to find out exactly what happened.”
Fan codes of conduct are prominent throughout the NHL. Every team has a scripted segment that is shared on their video board, through their public address system or both, telling fans about their respective codes of conduct.
The NHL also has a multipoint fan code of conduct that opens by stating, “The best hockey experiences happen in environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful.”
The fan code of conduct is broken into four sections: respect, inclusion, safety and empowerment.
“Language, gestures, behavior, clothing, signs, or other personal expressions that negatively reference or demean a specific race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability status, or other identity-based characteristic will not be tolerated,” the NHL’s inclusion section says. “Such conduct is strictly prohibited regardless of whether it directly or indirectly references a particular individual or group of individuals.”
The NHL said possible punishments for violating the code of conduct include ejection, suspension or a lifetime ban from future events.
