Brazilian authorities will investigate video of crowd doing apparent Nazi salute, official says
By Marcelino Rizzi,
Associated Press
Feb. 06, 2018 – 10:30 PM
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Authorities in the Argentine capital have launched an investigation into a video showing a group of men doing a Nazi salute after a soccer game by a fan who filmed the incident with a cellphone.
The video shows dozens of men and boys in Argentina’s capital, making the salute, the Associated Press reports. A man who was taking the video said authorities knew about the incident at the time but did not intervene. The fan, who asked not to be identified, said the men were part of a crowd who chanted “U.S.A.” The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires has called Argentina’s actions “beyond unacceptable.”
The video was taken in front of a stadium where fans of Atletico de Rafaela, a soccer team in an Argentine city, are known for displaying Nazi salutes during games. Atletico de Rafaela said in a statement that they are “surrounded by citizens who love and respect our nation and the Jewish people.”
During the video, one of the participants can be seen making the salute and appears to wave his hand in the air, which in Argentina is known as the Nazi salute.
The man who took the video did not give any other details, AP said. The video was taken with a phone by a man who asked not to be identified for fear of possible consequences, the AP reported.
The Nazi salute in soccer is the equivalent of waving a large American flag. It is one of the most visible symbols of support for soccer and its fans in the United States. The WorldJewish Congress has noted that the salute is associated with the Nazi-inspired terrorist organization, the Waffene-SS.
Brazil’s Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said in a statement that he was “shocked” by the video. He said the video showed “a group of fanatics from the U.S. who were celebrating Argentina’s victory in the Libertadores tournament.”
The Argentine soccer federation said it would investigate the incident, and